SINGAPORE — About two hours into an early Monday (June 27) morning flight from Singapore to Milan, Italy, the pilot of Singapore Airlines flight 368 announced over the public address system that the plane would have to turn back. An engine oil warning message had been triggered, and the aircraft was returning to Changi Airport for safety reasons. 
 
 “I could feel the vibrations,” recalled passenger Amit Jain, 44, who was seated at the business-class section near the right engine that would eventually catch fire hours later. “There was a very strange sound, sort of like a slight screeching noise coming from the plane.” 
 
 Another passenger on SQ368, Ms Lee Bee Yee, told TODAY that she and her husband noticed a faint fuel-like smell in the economy cabin where they were seated. 
 
 But at that time, no one was particularly concerned about the announcement, recalled Mr Jain, the director of IT and enterprise resource planning at a multinational company. “Half of the passengers were sleeping,” he added. 
 
 Mr Jain was awake as the plane landed back at Changi airport at about 6.50am, more than four hours after it took off at about 2.25am. He had a good view of the Boeing 777-300ER’s right engine and did not notice anything unusual when the plane came to a halt. 
 
 Then he caught sight of a convoy of fire engines racing towards the aircraft. That was when he realised that SQ368’s right engine was on fire. “I saw the flames getting worse and worse. By the time the fire engines reached the plane, the flames were about a meter high. I could see the wing turn black from the heat,” Mr Jain recounted. 
 
 “When we could see the flames rising, some people were trying to remove their bags from the overhead compartments, which was crazy,” he told TODAY. “I heard a few people scream ‘Open the doors!’ and ‘Let us out!’ and they were standing in the aisle. I had to tell a lady, ‘if I had to run out I’m going to have to kick your bag out of the way’.” 
 
 Still, the pilot and crew managed to calm things down, repeatedly reminding passengers to stay in their seats while airport emergency services tackled the fire, passengers said. 
 
 A statement from Singapore Airlines said the fire was put out in minutes by the Airport Emergency Service team. “All passengers and crew on board disembarked safely. No injuries were reported,” the statement added. “The affected aircraft has been towed away and the clean-up of Runway 2 is underway.” 
 
 Ms Lee, the owner of an e-commerce luxury bags company, posted dramatic footage and photos of the aircraft’s right engine and wing engulfed in flames. She wrote on Facebook: “We were so close to death! I thank God I am alive! I going home to hug my kids.” 
 
 Mr Jain said at one point he could feel a bit of the intense heat from the flames outside the plane. The passengers were not allowed to leave as firefighters sprayed water and foam to douse the flames. 
 
 “The foam was close to waist-deep for the firefighters,” he recalled. “The pilot came on the public address system a couple of times to tell passengers to stay calm and that fire was being put out.” 
 
 Added Ms Lee, who postponed her trip and headed home with her husband after their ordeal: “We are very grateful to the air crew and the firefighters. Everyone did a good job.” 
 
 A rescheduled flight with a new crew took off for Milan after 10am on Monday. It was unclear how many passengers pressed on with their trip. Singapore Airlines said it had offered passengers the option to defer or reschedule their travel. 
 
 Mr Jain was one of many passengers who pressed on with his trip to Milan. Those who boarded the new flight with him did not seem too rattled. 
 
 He told TODAY before boarding his rescheduled flight: “Most of the passengers are in the lounge right now. Snacks being served. People don’t look distressed, at least to me. It’s mostly calm.” 
 
 Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong wrote on Facebook that he was relieved all the people onboard were safely disembarked. “Thanks to SQ and Changi Airport for the swift response. SQ and CAAS (Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore) are investigating the cause, and will get to the bottom of the matter,” said Mr Lee. 
 
 Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Minister for Transport Khaw Boon Wan also wrote on Facebook that he was relieved to learn of the safe emergency landing. “Incident is being investigated, as to the cause and whether any of our procedures can be improved further,” he said. ||||| Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Watch: Singapore Airlines plane catches fire 
 
 A Singapore Airlines plane bound for Milan caught fire shortly after making an emergency landing. 
 
 Flight SQ368, which departed at 02:05 local time on Monday (18:00 GMT Sunday), was two hours into the flight when the pilot announced there was an engine problem. 
 
 The plane turned back and landed before the right engine of the Boeing 777 burst into flames. 
 
 All 222 passengers and 19 crew on board were safely evacuated. 
 
 "We were in the air for roughly an hour before we began to smell gas," one passenger who gave his name as Chuan told the BBC. 
 
 "The pilot came on the intercom and said that there was an oil leak in one of the engines and that they were going to turn and go back to Singapore." 
 
 Image copyright AP Image caption Firefighters took about five to 10 minutes to extinguish the flames on the plane 
 
 Image copyright AP Image caption Everyone on board was safely evacuated 
 
 Chuan added that all the passengers were very calm and that he actually "went back to sleep" after the announcement was made. 
 
 It was only after he got off the flight that he realised how "close to death" he and his wife had been. 
 
 Firefighters took about five to 10 minutes to extinguish the flames, he said. 
 
 Passengers will be transferred to another aircraft which is expected to depart for Milan later on Monday, said Singapore Airlines in a statement on Facebook. ||||| Story highlights Right engine of Singapore Airlines flight SQ368 caught fire after emergency landing at Changi Airport 
 
 All of the 222 passengers and 19 crew disembarked safely 
 
 (CNN) A Singapore Airlines plane burst into flames Monday after an emergency landing at the city-state's Changi Airport. 
 
 Images posted to social media show flames leaping from the plane's wing. 
 
 "We were so close to death!! I am still in the plane with all passengers. But I think we are safe for now..." passenger Lee Bee Yee posted on Facebook. 
 
 From her seat, Yee could see the fire from inside the plane, and the aftermath as firefighters doused it with foam. 
 
 Photos: Singapore Airlines plane catches fire after landing A cell phone photo shot by passenger Lee Bee Yee (facebook.com/premiummall.sg) shows the wing of a Singapore Airlines flight on fire upon landing at Changi Airport on June 27, 2016. Hide Caption 1 of 7 Photos: Singapore Airlines plane catches fire after landing Passengers were calm throughout the incident, said Lee. Hide Caption 2 of 7 Photos: Singapore Airlines plane catches fire after landing Firefighting foam coats the window of the plane after the landing. Hide Caption 3 of 7 Photos: Singapore Airlines plane catches fire after landing Firefighting crews were able to extinguish the blaze. Hide Caption 4 of 7 Photos: Singapore Airlines plane catches fire after landing The wing in the aftermath of the blaze. Hide Caption 5 of 7 Photos: Singapore Airlines plane catches fire after landing Lee thanks a firefighter as she disembarks the plane. Hide Caption 6 of 7 Photos: Singapore Airlines plane catches fire after landing All passengers were safely evacuated after the blaze. Hide Caption 7 of 7 
 
 Flight SQ368, a Boeing 777-300ER, took off from Changi Airport around 2:25am on June 27 carrying 222 passengers and 19 crew, Singapore Airlines said. 
 
 Read More ||||| This image provided by Lee Bee Yee shows passengers disembarking a Singapore Airlines flight after an engine fire, at Changi International Airport in Singapore on Monday, June 27, 2016. A Singapore Airlines... (Associated Press) 
 
 This image provided by Lee Bee Yee shows passengers disembarking a Singapore Airlines flight after an engine fire, at Changi International Airport in Singapore on Monday, June 27, 2016. A Singapore Airlines statement said the Boeing 777-300ER was on its way to Milan when it turned back "following an... (Associated Press) 
 
 SINGAPORE (AP) — Singapore Airlines said Monday that there were no injuries when a jetliner caught fire after the plane returned to Changi Airport because of an engine warning. 
 
 An airline statement said the Boeing 777-300ER was on its way to Milan when it turned back "following an engine oil warning message." 
 
 It said the aircraft's right engine caught fire after Flight SQ368 touched down more than four hours after takeoff. 
 
 "The fire was put out by airport emergency services and there were no injuries to the 222 passengers and 19 crew on board," it said. 
 
 The airline says the passengers were transferred to another aircraft that was to depart for Milan later Monday. ||||| Investigators have determined that Asiana Airlines Flight 214 was traveling "significantly below" the target speed during its approach and that the crew tried to abort the landing just before it smashed onto the runway. What they don't yet know is whether the pilot's inexperience with the type of aircraft and at San Francisco's airport played a role. 
 
 An unidentified family member of one of two Chinese students killed in a crash of Asiana Airlines' plane on Saturday, cries at the Airlines' counter as she and other family members check in a flight to... (Associated Press) 
 
 A passenger of Asiana flight 214 is wheeled into an ambulance on a stretcher upon her arrival at the Incheon Airport in Incheon, west of Seoul Monday, July 8, 2013. The Asiana flight crashed upon landing... (Associated Press) 
 
 A passenger of Asiana flight 214 arrives at the Incheon Airport in Incheon, west of Seoul Monday, July 8, 2013. Officials investigating a jetliner crash in San Francisco have determined that Asiana Airlines... (Associated Press) 
 
 This image released by the National Transportation Safety Board, Sunday, July 7, 2013, shows the interior of the Boeing 777 Asiana Airlines Flight 214 aircraft. The Asiana flight crashed upon landing... (Associated Press) 
 
 This photo provided by Dawn Siadatan shows Asiana Airlines flight 214 just moments after crashing at the San Francisco International Airport in San Francisco, Saturday, July 6, 2013. The Asiana Airlines... (Associated Press) 
 
 An investigator looks at the tail of Asiana Flight 214 on Sunday, July 7, 2013, after the passenger jet crashed at the San Francisco International Airport in San Francisco on Saturday. (AP Photo/Marcio... (Associated Press) 
 
 An unidentified family member of one of two Chinese students killed in an Asiana Airlines plane crash on Saturday, is escorted by airport security officers at the Pudong International Airport in Shanghai,... (Associated Press) 
 
 This image released by the National Transportation Safety Board Sunday, July 7, 2013, shows NTSB workers near the Boeing 777 Asiana Airlines Flight 214 aircraft. The Asiana flight crashed upon landing... (Associated Press) 
 
 A passenger reads a newspaper reporting about Asiana Airlines Flight 214 which took off from Seoul and crashed while landing at San Francisco International Airport on Saturday, on a subway train in Seoul,... (Associated Press) 
 
 A United Airlines plane readies for take off next to the wreckage of Asiana Flight 214 at the San Francisco International Airport in San Francisco, Sunday, July 7, 2013. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) (Associated Press) 
 
 Asiana Airlines Flight 214 flight attendant and cabin manager, lee yoon Hye, speaks to the media during a news conference in San Francisco, Sunday, July 7, 2013. Flight 214 crashed on landing at San Francisco... (Associated Press) 
 
 A day after the jetliner crash landed in San Francisco, killing two people and sending more than 180 to hospitals, officials said Sunday that the probe was also focusing on whether the airport or plane's equipment also could have malfunctioned. 
 
 The South Korea government announced Monday that officials will inspect engines and landing equipment on all Boeing 777 planes owned by Asiana and Korean Air, the national carrier. 
 
 Also Sunday, San Mateo County Coroner Robert Foucrault said he was investigating whether one of the two teenage passengers killed actually survived the crash but was run over by a rescue vehicle rushing to aid victims fleeing the burning aircraft. Remarkably, 305 of 307 passengers and crew survived the crash and more than a third didn't even require hospitalization. Only a small number were critically injured. 
 
 Investigators said that the weather was unusually fair for foggy San Francisco. The winds were mild, too. During the descent, with their throttles set to idle, the pilots never discussed having any problems with the plane or its positioning until it was too late. 
 
 Seven seconds before the Boeing 777 struck down, a member of the flight crew made a call to increase the jet's lagging speed, National Transportation Safety Board chief Deborah Hersman said at a briefing based on the plane's cockpit and flight data recorders. Three seconds later came a warning that the plane was about to stall. 
 
 Two-and-a-half seconds later, the crew attempted to abort the landing and go back up for another try. The air traffic controller guiding the plane heard the crash that followed almost instantly, Hersman said. 
 
 Federal and local authorities plan to release more information Monday morning about the investigation and the initial response. 
 
 While investigators from both the U.S. and South Korea are in the early stages of an investigation that will include a weekslong examination of the wreckage and alcohol tests for the crew, the news confirmed what survivors and other witnesses had reported: a slow-moving airliner flying low to the ground. 
 
 "We are not talking about a few knots" difference between the aircraft's target landing speed of 137 knots, or 157 mph (250 kph), and how fast it was going as it came in for a landing, Hersman said. 
 
 Pilots normally try to land at the target speed, in this case 137 knots, plus an additional 5 more knots, said Bob Coffman, an American Airlines captain who has flown 777s. He said the briefing raises an important question: "Why was the plane going so slow?" 
 
 The airline said Monday in Seoul that the pilot at the controls had little experience flying that type of plane and was landing one for the first time at that airport. 
 
 Asiana spokeswoman Lee Hyomin said that Lee Gang-guk, who was at the controls, had nearly 10,000 hours flying other planes but only 43 in the 777, a plane she said he still was getting used to flying. Another pilot on the flight, Lee Jeong-min, had about 12,390 hours of flying experience, including 3,220 hours on the 777, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in South Korea. Lee was the deputy pilot, tasked with helping Lee Gang-guk get accustomed to the 777, according to Asiana Airlines. 
 
 Two other pilots were aboard, with teams rotating at the controls. 
 
 The plane's Pratt & Whitney engines were on idle and the pilots were flying under visual flight rules, Hersman said. Under visual flight procedures in the Boeing 777, a wide-body jet, the autopilot would typically have been turned off while the automatic throttle, which regulates speed, would have been on until the plane had descended to 500 feet (150 meters) in altitude, Coffman said. At that point, pilots would normally check their airspeed before switching off the autothrottle to continue a "hand fly" approach, he said. 
 
 There was no indication in the discussions between the pilots and the air traffic controllers that there were problems with the aircraft. 
 
 Survivors and rescuers said it was nothing less than astonishing that nearly everyone survived after a frightful scene of fire burning inside the fuselage, pieces of the aircraft scattered across the runway and people fleeing for their lives. 
 
 In the first comments on the crash by a crew member, cabin manager Lee Yoon-hye said that seconds before impact she felt that something was wrong. 
 
 "Right before touchdown, I felt like the plane was trying to take off. I was thinking `what's happening?' and then I felt a bang," Lee told reporters Sunday night in San Francisco. "That bang felt harder than a normal landing. It was a very big shock. Afterward, there was another shock and the plane swayed to the right and to the left." 
 
 She said that during the evacuation, two inflatable slides that were supposed to inflate toward the outside instead inflated toward the inside of the plane, hurting two Asiana flight attendants. Pilots came to rescue the flight attendants but even after getting injured, she said that the crew did not leave the plane until after the passengers evacuated. She said she was the last one to go. 
 
 South Korea's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said the 291 passengers included 141 Chinese, 77 South Koreans, 64 Americans, three Canadians, three Indians, one Japanese, one Vietnamese and one person from France. 
 
 The two dead passengers have been identified as students from China _16 and 17 years old _ who were scheduled to attend summer camp in California with dozens of classmates. Hospital officials said Sunday that two of the people who remained hospitalized in critical condition were paralyzed with spinal injuries, while another two showed "road rash" injuries consistent with being dragged. 
 
 Foucrault, the coroner, said one of the bodies was found on the tarmac near where the plane's tail broke off when it slammed into the runway. The other was found on the left side of the plane about 30 feet (10 meters) away from where the jetliner came to rest after it skidded down the runway. Foucrault said an autopsy he expects to be completed by Monday will involve determining whether the second girl's death was caused by injuries suffered in the crash or "a secondary incident." 
 
 He said he did not get a close enough look at the victims on Saturday to know whether they had external injuries. 
 
 The flight originated in Shanghai, China, and stopped over in Seoul, South Korea, before making the nearly 11-hour trip to San Francisco. 
 
 On audio recordings from the air traffic tower, controllers told all pilots in other planes to stay put after the crash. "All runways are closed. Airport is closed. San Francisco tower," said one controller. 
 
 At one point, the pilot of a United Airlines plane radioed. 
 
 "We see people ... that need immediate attention," the pilot said. "They are alive and walking around." 
 
 "Think you said people are just walking outside the airplane right now?" the controller replied. 
 
 "Yes," answered the pilot of United Flight 885. "Some people, it looks like, are struggling." 
 
 When the plane hit the ground, oxygen masks dropped down, said Xu Da, a product manager at an Internet company in Hangzhou, China, who was sitting with his wife and teenage son near the back of the plane. He stood up and saw sparking _ perhaps from exposed electrical wires _ and a gaping hole through the back of the plane where its galley was torn away along with the tail. 
 
 Xu and his family escaped through the opening. Once on the tarmac, they watched the plane catch fire, and firefighters hose it down. 
 
 In the chaotic moments after the landing, when baggage was tumbling from the overhead bins onto passengers and people all around her were screaming, Wen Zhang grabbed her 4-year-old son, who hit the seat in front of him and broke his leg. 
 
 Spotting a hole at the back of the jumbo jet where the bathroom had been, she carried her boy to safety. 
 
 "I had no time to be scared," she said. 
 
 Nearby, people who escaped were dousing themselves with water from the bay, possibly to cool burn injuries, authorities said. 
 
 By the time the flames were out, much of the top of the fuselage had burned away. The tail section was gone, with pieces of it scattered across the beginning of the runway. One engine was gone, and the other was no longer on the wing. 
 
 ___ 
 
 Lowy reported from Washington, D.C. Associated Press writers Terry Collins, Terry Chea, Lisa Leff and Sudhin Thanawala in San Francisco, David Koenig in Dallas, Louise Watt in Beijing and Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul contributed to this report.
– All 222 passengers and 19 crew from a Singapore Airlines flight are safe and unharmed after a terrifying incident early Monday. The airline says the Boeing 777-3000 was on its way from Singapore to Milan when the pilot decided to turn back after receiving an engine oil warning message, the AP reports. It landed back at Singapore's Changi Airport more then four hours later—and just after it came to a halt, its right engine burst into flames as horrified passengers looked on. "By the time the fire engines reached the plane, the flames were about a meter high," passenger Amit Jain tells Today. "When we could see the flames rising, some people were trying to remove their bags from the overhead compartments, which was crazy," he says. "I heard a few people scream 'Open the doors!' and 'Let us out!'" The airline and the airport say the blaze was extinguished within minutes, CNN reports. The passengers were transferred to another flight to Milan. Passengers say they could smell oil while the plane was in the air, but they didn't realize how close to death they were until afterward, the BBC reports. Analyst Greg Waldron at Flightglobal says it appears the pilots did everything right by turning back when they discovered the problem and dumping fuel along the way. "When the plane slows down as you land, fuel can cling to the wing and surfaces. Sparks from the hot brakes after they landed could have the triggered the fire and it does appear quite dramatic. But they appear to have gotten that under control very quickly," he says, per Reuters. "There don't appear to be any procedural issues here."