FUZHOU - A passenger plane skidded off runway while taxiing in south-east China's Fujian province on Sunday, Xinhua news agency reported, citing local authorities.

The Joy Air flight was scheduled to depart at 11.40 am local time from Fuzhou Changle International Airport in Fuzhou, capital of Fujian, but the plane skidded off the runway, according to Xinhua.

Three passengers were slightly injured, the report said, citing caacnews.com.cn, a website run by the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

The website said there were 45 passengers and seven cabin crew on board the aircraft, which flies between Fuzhou and the eastern city of Yiwu in Zhejiang province.

Pictures on China's microblog Sina Weibo showed one of the plane's wings to be broken. A Xinhua journalist at the airport reported seeing smoke from the plane and passengers fleeing the cabin.