DAKAR, May 9 (Reuters) - A plane with 78 passengers

skidded off a runway before takeoff at Senegal's main airport on

Tuesday, injuring 11 people and bringing the facility to a halt.

The Blaise Diagne airport said an investigation was underway

to determine the cause of the accident, which occurred at around

0100 GMT as the Transair-owned Boeing 737-300 chartered

by Air Senegal was preparing to fly to Mali.

A night-time video shared on social media showed a plane

with the logo of Senegal-based airline Transair standing in

grass with a wing covered in fire-suppressing foam.

Reuters was not immediately able to verify the video.

The airport statement said it activated emergency protocols

to evacuate passengers.

"For now, the airport is closed ... The reopening of the

airport is expected within the next few hours," it added.