A spokeswoman for the low-budget German airline said the Boeing 737-800 slid off the runaway at the Dortmund airport after the pilot detected "technical irregularities" and aborted takeoff.

"A combination of the snowy weather and the speed the plane was travelling at forced the plane to skid off the runway," Dana Dadelow said, adding that there had been "no need for an emergency evacuation and no injuries."

The incident came after a night of heavy snow and freezing rain throughout central Germany, making travel hazardous.

Dadelow said the pilot acted according to procedure.

"The question remains, however, whether the surface of the runway was completely de-iced," she said.

A spokesman for the Dortmund airport said that following the incident, the runway had been closed until further notice and passengers sent to other airports.

glb/Reuters/dpa

Editor: Sonia Phalnikar