Witnesses shared emotional accounts, including passengers inside the airport who were moments away from boarding their own flights. Musician Josh Mitcham described the moment the captain calmly told passengers there had been “an accident” and advised everyone to leave the plane.

Many only realized the scale of the tragedy when they saw dark smoke rising outside — a sight that stopped conversations and left travelers silently holding their breath. Flights were halted, and loved ones waited anxiously for news as rescue crews worked tirelessly through the evening.