Frontier Airline plane hits person who trespassed on runway at Denver Airport

A Frontier Airline plane has killed a person at a US Denver International Airport (DIA).

Air traffic control audio captured the horrific moment after a person trespassed on to the runway in the capital of Colorado on Friday night.

All 224 passengers evacuated the flight headed for Los Angeles International Airport at around 11pm local time (6am BST).

The pilot was heard telling the control tower "we just hit somebody" as smoke was seen from the Airbus A321's cabin.

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Denver Fire Department arrived to the scene and quickly extinguished the fire within the cabin.

Transport Secretary Sean Duffy said 12 people were hurt in the incident and five of the passengers were taken to nearby hospitals, according to airport authorities.

Frontier Airlines said the person hit by the plane jumped over the perimeter fence two minutes before impact.

"We are deeply saddened by this event," it added.

After saying the plane had hit someone, the pilot of Flight 4345 said: "We're stopping on the runway."

"There was an individual walking across the runway," the pilot said.

Video of the incident capture the sound of a loud bang as the engine

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the plane was moving at "high speed" as the person was hit.

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He said: "Late last night, a trespasser breached airport security at Denver Int'l Airport, deliberately scaled a perimeter fence, and ran out onto a runway."

He added: "No one should EVER trespass on an airport."

Passengers evacuated the aircraft by inflatable emergency slides as a matter of precaution.

Those onboard the plane told local media they were shaken up after the incident.

Mohammed Hassan told ABC News affiliate Denver 7: "Honestly, until like six hours after, it still felt fake."

He added: "You really think you're going to die at that moment, you know? Like all I heard was the boom."

And Nebraskan John Anthens, 56, onboard with two sons, Jacob, 30, and Levi, 19 told the New York Post: "When the engine blew up, I thought, 'Oh s**t, we’re all going to die'."

Denver International Airport said the majority of passengers had since left Denver on a new Frontier flight.

"We are extremely saddened by this incident and express our sympathies to those involved," it added.

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