Air traffic at Liberia’s main airport faced interruptions on Thursday night when a private aircraft carrying President Joseph Boakai experienced a significant landing mishap.
According to airport officials, a malfunction in the jet’s landing gear resulted in a turbulent touchdown as it neared the runway, creating a scene of panic among airport staff and passengers. Consequently, all flights scheduled for that evening were canceled, local outlets reported.
President Boakai, who was returning from Nigeria after attending the 50th anniversary of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), was unharmed and promptly evacuated. An investigation has been launched to assess the incident.
Images of the plane halted at Roberts International Airport circulated on social media, igniting worries about the president’s safety. Officials confirmed that a tire had burst during landing, which left the aircraft immobilized on the runway.
The Liberia Airport Authority (LAA) labeled the situation as a “near-accident” and ruled out claims that inadequate runway conditions were to blame, affirming that their infrastructure meets international safety standards. The aircraft has since been cleared from the runway, and normal airport operations have resumed.
The investigation into the root cause of the incident is ongoing, with the LAA promising to keep the public updated. Although the presidency has not yet released a statement, it did share photos of President Boakai’s safe return, wherein he briefly interacted with journalists, not addressing the scare directly.
Source: www.bbc.com
