Plane skids off runway in Senegal, injuring 11

09 May 2024 - 12:43 By Ngouda Dione and Bate Felix
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The left wing and engine caught fire but all 73 passengers were able to evacuate alive.
The left wing and engine caught fire but all 73 passengers were able to evacuate alive.
Image: ACDEC @JacdecNew via Twitter

A plane with 78 passengers skidded off a runway before take-off at Senegal's main airport on Tuesday, injuring 11 people and bringing the facility to a halt.

The Blaise Diagne airport said an investigation was under way to determine the cause of the accident, which occurred at around 0100 GMT as the Transair-owned Boeing 737-300 chartered by Air Senegal was preparing to fly to Mali.

A night-time video shared on social media showed a plane with the logo of Senegal-based airline Transair standing in grass with a wing covered in fire-suppressing foam.

Reuters was not immediately able to verify the video.

The airport statement said it activated emergency protocols to evacuate passengers.

“For now, the airport is closed ... The reopening of the airport is expected within the next few hours,” it added.

Reuters


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