Authorities confirmed the airliner, which was en route to Papua New Guinea from Micronesia, missed the runway and crashed into the water off the tiny island of Weno, north-west of Papua New Guinea, around 9.30am Friday local time.
Without hesitation, men and women who witnessed the crash from the shore rowed out in a flotilla of small fishing boats towards the plane.
They managed to rescue all 35 passengers and 12 crew members, who were waste-deep in water by the time they arrived.
Many were standing on the wings of the rapidly-sinking jet. At least one passenger was injured.
Bill Jaynes, an American journalist based in Pohnpei who was on board the Boeing 737-800, said:
'I was really impressed with the locals who immediately started coming out in boats.
'One would have thought they would have been afraid to approach a plane that has just crashed. They were awesome and I was really impressed with their whole response.'
Thank God.
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