A British Airways 777 crash landing at London’s Heathrow airport when you have a fully equipped photographer and a text journalist airside is not something you see every day. Unfortunately when it happened yesterday they were trapped onboard another plane carrying British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and assorted colleagues waiting to take-off for the Far East.

Dylan Martinez

Fortunately photographer Dylan Martinez was able to find a window with a distant view of the stricken aircraft and emergency vehicles and despite the dismal optical properties of aircraft windows, able to shoot and file a couple of quick pictures.

Stephen Hird

Those of us in office waiting for more pictures to arrive while watching events unfold on TV may have been slightly covetous of the aerial view we could see from the BBC’s helicopter but Stephen Hird was swiftly on the scene and soon moving clear strong pictures shot from the perimeter fence. He was followed by London bureau colleague Toby Melville. From their pictures of the wrecked plane it was evident that with the exception of a few “minor injuries” the passengers and crew had had a remarkable escape.  

Stephen Hird

Of course before all this happened the primary focus had been Prime Minister Gordon Brown.  

Dylan Martinez

From the back steps of the aircraft taking them to China, Dylan had photographed him and his wife embarquing by way of the front steps, 

Dylan Martinez

so he was there when Richard Branson got on too. The Virgin Atlantic boss getting onto a British Airways flight - now that’s something you don’t see every day!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22706026

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/01/17/e urope/heathrow.php

http://www.abc.net.au/news/photos/2008/0 1/18/2141308.htm

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk  /article3204607.ece

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-0 1/17/content_7442126.htm