Watch: Plane catches fire during landing, 41 killed

The death toll from the fiery airliner accident at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport has increased from 13 to 41, with Russian officials saying 37 people survived. The plane bound for Murmansk turned back after encountering unspecified problems in the air.

Moscow: At least 41 people were killed after a Russian passenger plane caught massive fire while making an emergency landing on Sunday.

Shortly after the take off from Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport, the Russian-made Superjet-100, which was carrying 73 passengers and 5 crew members, requested an emergency landing. The plane was headed to Russia's far northwest city of Murmansk. It returned to the Sheremetyevo airport after 27 minutes in the air, reported a Russia based media house.

Among the dead, at least two were children. Of the 37 who survived, five have been hospitalised.

In the wake of the incident, Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a "thorough investigation". "All instructions have been given to conduct the most thorough investigation, (to carry out) the necessary orders to find out the cause of this accident," a media house quoted Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, as saying.

The airline, Aeroflot, said that the plane was forced to land back at Sheremetyevo for a "technical reason." The engines burst into flames after the landing, reported another media house. The plane was relatively new.

Though the details are still emerging, videos from the scene show the plane skidding across the runway, with thick, black smoke pouring out from behind.

The investigation into the matter is underway.