Police and aviation experts began examining the charred shell of a China Airlines jet in southern Japan today, widening an investigation into why the plane exploded in flames just seconds after the 165 people aboard escaped.

A CHINA Airlines jet exploded into flames at an airport in Japan after arriving from Taiwan yesterday, but all 165 people aboard escaped alive, officials said.

The 157 passengers and eight crew members had barely finished sliding down the emergency chutes of the smoking China Airlines jet today when it suddenly exploded, and flames engulfed the centre of the craft.