A police statement said the plane's fuselage had broken up into three pieces and that passengers were "literally scattered over the end of the runway". One person died, apparently from a heart attack, officials said

The island's police chief, Col Hector Paez, said an 11-year-old girl who had been trapped beneath seats on the aircraft was among those severely injured.

Of 99 passengers taken to the Amor de Patria Hospital on San Andres, only four suffered major injuries, according to the hospital director, Dr Robert Sanchez.

San Andres Governor Pedro Gallardo described the incident as a "miracle" that so many survived.

The Boeing 737 was carrying 131 passengers and crew when it tried to land on the island of San Andres. The passenger jet, operated by local airline Aires, was reportedly hit by lightning before it crashed. It had flown from the Colombian capital, Bogota.

At least 16 non-Colombian nationals were reported to have been on the plane, from countries including the US, Brazil, Costa Rica and France.