Sudan Flight Was Coming From Jordan With 219 People Aboard:

KHARTOUM, Sudan - A Sudan Airways jetliner with 217 people aboard veered off a runway late Tuesday amid thunderstorms and burst into flames, killing about 100, Sudanese television reported.

An Associated Press reporter at the scene said the plane arriving from Amman, Jordan apparently left the runway as it landed in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan.

The head of Sudanese police, Mohammad Najib, said bad weather "caused the plane to crash land, split into two and catch fire."

"We believe that most of the passengers were able to make it out and escape with their lives," said Najib, without disclosing further details on how they escaped.

There were some early rumors that all first class passengers were evacuated first and those in the back may have perished. This would be a disturbing development if true. Can you imagine the uproar if they were pushing preferred access to emergency exits?