Plane with 143 on board falls into river in US

A Boeing 737 jet with 143 people on board skidded off the runway into the St Johns River in Florida near Naval Air Station Jacksonville on Friday.

No critical injuries or deaths were reported, officials said.

Officials said the 136 passengers and seven crew were alive and accounted for after the plane ditched in shallow water.

Twenty-one adults were transported to local hospitals for minor injuries but were in good condition.

"The plane was not submerged. Every person is alive and accounted for," tweeted Jacksonville Sheriff's office.

"We have a commercial plane down on the river. I have been briefed by our Fire and Rescue. They are on the scene. While they work please pray," Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry tweeted.

The plane slid off a runway into the St. Johns River, a spokesman from the Naval Air Station Jacksonville said.

It appears to have skidded off the airport runway while trying to land and ended up in the river, WJXT reported.

The plane was arriving "from Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba into Naval Air Station Jacksonville " and crashed into the river at the end of the runway, Naval Air Station Jacksonville said.

Officials did not immediately say what caused the plane to leave the runway.