(latest info at bottom of comment)

ABC reports it was coming from Taipei, linked forum says Taipei. Video of aftermath. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dFtmSybpuw&feature=youtu.be.

Redwood City FD responding. Unknown amount of passengers. SFO FD using foam on entire plane.

FAA has now shut down operations at SFO due to "disabled plane"

3rd alarm called, "red" alarm called.

Multiple reports that fuselage is in multiple pieces. Tail is some yards away.

FAA issues statement: "A Boeing 777 operated by Asiana Airlines crashed while landing at San Francisco International Airport." No further details.

Asiana Airlines flight OZ214, Boeing 777, registration HL7742 http://t.co/bSgoVeggrU

Better picture: pic.twitter.com/JqLj9OAtzv

#SFOFire Northfield IC, North Field Command, four engines and 3 ambulances inbound to aircraft, other units staging #CaFire

@rafweverbergh: Confirmed with controller at SFO: "plane is broken in multiple pieces. (...) a hard landing" SOURCE: http://t.co/ghqoLpxfVM @scobleizer [http://twitter.com/rafweverbergh/status/353590307402694658]

@CarrieMantha: Thank God @OntarioHazards EMS reporting all passengers of the downed plane at #SFO are accounted for. Injuries but no reports of fatalities [http://twitter.com/CarrieMantha/status/353590343624691712]

@punkboyinsf: Redwood City Fire is classifying SFO plane crash as 3 alarm fire and level 8 mass casualty incident. via @lautenbach #YAL [http://twitter.com/punkboyinsf/status/353590933515804672]

@Emergency_In_SF: SFO AIR CRASH (update): crews report 48 patients have been rescued so far after 777 crashes on landing. Passengers still on burning plane [http://twitter.com/Emergency_In_SF/status/353591197144588288]

LIVE SHOT OF PLANE NOW AVAILABLE:

@brianstelter: KTVU, Fox affiliate in San Fran, has a faraway live shot of the plane here: http://t.co/BXreHtWugm No anchored coverage yet. [http://twitter.com/brianstelter/status/353591320733941760]

Someone got a picture of the crash as it happened:

@stefanielaine: just realized I have a picture of the actual crash. holy fucking shit. http://t.co/5TnOX96Gsi [http://twitter.com/stefanielaine/status/353591123958173696]

@peterpham: 290 passengers on plane, 1 infant - San Francisco Fire and EMS Live Audio Feed http://t.co/ZoMhufPNMA via @Broadcastify [http://twitter.com/peterpham/status/353592842385494016]

VERY UP CLOSE PICTURE FROM TWITTER: https://path.com/p/1lwrZb

I don't understand why people are trying to hold him to some kind of saintly standard.

He wanted to do what he could to expose what he believed to be wrongdoing. And now he simply wants to avoid prison if possible, like pretty much anyone else would. There's no nobility in throwing away his lifetime in an American jail -- he's already exposed the NSA's programs, and prison accomplishes nothing more.

Sure, it's easy to call him a hypocrite for applying for asylum in countries "less free" than the US. But as long as "free" countries allow themselves to be pressured by the US, what choice does he have? Would you do anything different in his shoes?

I'm a little shocked that even here on Hacker News, most of the top-level comments fell for the headline, rather than focusing the attention back where it belongs: the reason why Snowden needs asylum in the first place.

Enough of this drama. Snowden has served his purpose in revealing the extend of the NSA shenanigans, but we really shouldn't have to read about his every move.

This Reuters news release does not even mention the nature of the leaks that put Mr. Snowden in this situation. It's truly a sad state of reporting and public discourse.

Edit: taking a bit of my own advice:

We need to stop the NSA snooping all of our communications and restore due process for searches and seizures!