This is the terrifying moment a Chinese cargo plane crashed into several baggage carts amid a snowstorm at Chicago O'Hare airport, damaging one of the plane's engines.

The China Airlines Boeing 747-400F aircraft with registration number B-18715 had flown into the airport early morning on January 28 after taking off from Taipei, Taiwan. It was touching down on the runway when its left side ploughed into the baggage carts that were left on the airfield.

Security footage shows a piece of luggage being sucked into one of the engines and apparently being shredded to pieces as the aircraft swerved out of control.

The Chicago Department of Aviation said the shocking incident caused no injuries, but the plane's engine number 2 was severely damaged. China Airlines has reportedly blamed the collision on inclement weather and the slippery tarmac.

The US National Weather Service said as much as eight inches of snow fell across the Chicago area on Friday, January 28.

The Boeing 747 - nicknamed the Queen of the Skies - was once widely used but is being taken out of service by most airlines due to the high running costs. The decline of the iconic jumbo jet, which heralded a new era in mass air travel when it came into service in 1969, has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic travel restrictions causing global passenger numbers to nose-dive. Dwindling numbers of jumbo jets now remain in the skies as carriers replace them with more fuel-efficient alternatives. Their decline has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 crisis as airlines reduce fleet sizes and continue the long-term trend towards mid-sized planes with fewer seats. In July 2020, British Airways confirmed 'with great sadness' that it was retiring all 31 of its Boeing 747s.