A woman was sliced in half by a plane as she ran across an airport runway in northeast South Africa.

Sinangele Asuza, 78, was killed on Monday 11.30am local time when she was struck by a light aircraft as it came in to land in the town of Ermelo in South Africa’s eastern Mpumalanga province, the Daily Mail reports.

Police said she and two other women had scaled the perimeter fence to collect firewood and decided to take a shortcut across the runway, believing they could make it before an approaching plane came in to land.

“She misjudged the distance and was struck by the plane’s wing,” police spokeswoman Captain Carla Prinsloo was quoted as saying.

“She was literally sliced in two and died at the scene.”

Pilot Malcolm Wushard spotted the three woman as he approached the runway and did all he could to avoid the collision, Captain Prinsloo added.

Mr Wushard was in shock after the accident but unhurt.

The plane was badly damaged on its left wing and wheel.

South Africa’s Civil Aviation Authority has launched an investigation into the tragedy.

Source: http://news.ninemsn.com.au