A cargo airplane broke up during an emergency landing in Costa Rica on Thursday, in an accident that provoked the temporary closure of the international airport in San Jose.

https://twitter.com/news18dotcom/status/1512296103516942336

Smoke was billowing from the bright yellow plane of German logistics giant DHL as it ground to a halt, having slid off the runway when it spun and broke up around the rear wheels.

https://twitter.com/BonitaJamaica/status/1512147791514066952

Two crew members aboard were "in a good condition," said the chief of Costa Rica's firefighters, Hector Chaves.

Nonetheless, the Guatemalan pair were sent to hospital as a precaution "for a medical check-up," according to Guido Vasquez, a Red Cross worker.

The pilot was shaken up but both crew were conscious and "remember everything vividly," added Vasquez.

https://twitter.com/aviationbrk/status/1512111879988076544

The accident happened just before 10:30 am (1630 GMT) after the Boeing-757 plane, which had taken off from the Juan Santamaria international airport outside San Jose, was forced to return 25 minutes later for an emergency landing due to a mechanical failure.

https://twitter.com/ZOONewsTV/status/1512122517229834243

The crew apparently had alerted local authorities to a hydraulic problem.

The airport was closed until 6:00 pm.