Virgin Atlantic aircraft damaged on landing in St Lucia
By Caribbean News Now contributor
PHOTO: The damaged Virgin Atlantic Airbus landing gear
CASTRIES, St Lucia — A Virgin Atlantic Airbus A330-300 flying from Tobago suffered substantial damage to its landing gear when it touched down on a flooded runway at Hewanorra International Airport in Saint Lucia on Tuesday [24]. No injuries occurred.
According to reports of the incident, flight VS-98 was on its final approach to Saint Lucia at about 7:40 pm and had just received landing clearance when a nearby river burst its banks from torrential rains and flooded the airport, washing away the weather station and depositing mud and water on the runway. The aircraft touched down on the flooded runway and managed to come to a stop.
The onward flight to London Gatwick had to be cancelled and, as of Thursday, the damaged aircraft was reportedly still on the ground in Saint Lucia.
Due to the flooding, the airport closed for the rest of Tuesday and Wednesday but reopened at 3:00 pm on Thursday. However, no jet fuel was reportedly due to be available until Friday.
On Thursday, Virgin Atlantic flight VS-89 from London to Saint Lucia and onward to St George’s flew directly to Grenada and did not land in Saint Lucia.
According to the Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority (SLASPA), Hewanorra International Airport on Thursday safely accommodated the landing of Condor 4258 and JetBlue 881. The departure of Condor 4259 and JetBlue 882 was also safely facilitated, processing a total of 460 passengers.
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Related story:
BA plane clips building at OR Tambo
From news24 South Africa
Johannesburg – A British Airways flight bound for London has veered off the runway, crashing into a building at OR Tambo International on Sunday evening.
A British Airways spokesperson confirmed a Boeing 747 was damaged while taxiing at Johannesburg airport, with 182 passengers on board.
The airline said all passengers were disembarked safely and there were no reported injuries on board the aircraft. Passengers were taken to a hotel for the night and the airline is arranging alternative flights for them.
Images from Twitter appear to show the plane was taxiing when one of its wings sliced through a brick building on the edge of the runway.
Airports Company South Africa (Asca) has not confirmed if other flights have been affected.
BA said it is launching an investigation into the incident and is giving full assistance to the independent South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) with the matter.
For more on this story go to:
http://www.news24.com/Travel/Flights/BA-plane-clips-building-at-OR-Tambo-20131223
