Spectacular photo shows A340 from Afghanistan landing in Perth

Photographer Richard Kreider captured this stunning image of a chartered Hi Fly Airbus A340 carrying Australians and Afghan visa holders from strife-torn Kabul as it arrived in the West Australian capital of Perth early Friday. About 100 Australian citizens and Afghan visa holders were on board the plane. They were loaded onto buses at Perth Airport by officials in protective gear and escorted to the Hyatt Regency Hotel, where they will spend two weeks in quarantine. READ: Airlines avoid Afghan airspace as chaos grips Kabul airport.

Media reports said several floors of the hotel were cleared to accommodate the arrivals, which included Australian government officials and Afghan interpreters and contractors who helped the Australian military in Afghanistan. Flight tracking sites said the aircraft was first detected on its way to Perth near Dubai in the UAE on August 19. It flew on to Sydney and was headed north later on Friday. The Australian Defence Force said earlier this week it was deploying more than 250 personnel to support urgent efforts to evacuate Australian citizens and visa holders from Afghanistan. This included the deployment of a KC-30A transport plane and two C-17A Globemasters. "The situation in Afghanistan remains highly volatile and dangerous,'' it said. "Defence is taking all necessary precautions to protect its people and those authorised for evacuation. The mission will be constantly assessed against the latest developments. "Australia’s evacuation efforts are being closely coordinated with international partners." The BBC reported Friday that there was continuing chaos at Kabul airport as Afghans continued to try and escape the Taliban. Taliban fighters have established checkpoints around the airport, firing into the air to control crowds. US soldiers have also used tear gas. The world was shocked earlier this week by scenes of desperate Afghans clinging to a US Air Forces C-17 as it taxied for take-off. At least two were seen falling from the plane after it took to the air in scenes reminiscent of the 9/11 attack on New York.

The UK news service also said one of the people killed while trying to stow away on the US C-17 was a 19-year-old footballer although the timing of his death was not revealed. The USAF also confirmed that human remains were found in the landing gear of an aircraft after it arrived in Qatar.