The incident, which occurred during the president's return from Nigeria, sparked safety concerns as investigations into the malfunction begin.
Presidential Jet Incident Causes Panic at Liberia Airport
Presidential Jet Incident Causes Panic at Liberia Airport
Near-crash situation involving President Boakai's plane leads to a temporary flight suspension.
In a troubling incident late Thursday night, flights were interrupted at Liberia's Roberts International Airport following a landing scare involving a private jet carrying President Joseph Boakai. Reports indicate that part of the jet's landing gear malfunctioned, leading to a challenging landing that could have resulted in a disaster, according to airport authorities.
Witnesses at the airport described scenes of panic as the jet, returning from Nigeria where Boakai attended a significant anniversary event for the Economic Community of West African States, skidded upon landing. Fortunately, President Boakai and his entourage were safely evacuated without any injuries. However, all scheduled flights for the evening were cancelled as a precaution.
Images of the aircraft stranded on the runway circulated widely on social media, raising alarms about the president's safety. According to local media sources, one of the jet's tires reportedly burst during the landing, which led to the aircraft being immobilized on the runway.
The Liberia Airport Authority (LAA) addressed the situation in a statement, labeling it an "unfortunate near-accident situation" while refuting claims that the incident was due to poor runway conditions, affirming that their infrastructure complies with international aviation safety standards.
As investigations to determine the precise cause of this incident continue, normal airport operations have resumed following the aircraft's removal from the runway. The presidential office has not yet provided official commentary on the situation, although they did share images of the president's arrival at the airport, where he addressed journalists without referencing the scare.
This event is one among many that underscore the importance of aviation safety and operational integrity, especially for high-profile government officials.
Witnesses at the airport described scenes of panic as the jet, returning from Nigeria where Boakai attended a significant anniversary event for the Economic Community of West African States, skidded upon landing. Fortunately, President Boakai and his entourage were safely evacuated without any injuries. However, all scheduled flights for the evening were cancelled as a precaution.
Images of the aircraft stranded on the runway circulated widely on social media, raising alarms about the president's safety. According to local media sources, one of the jet's tires reportedly burst during the landing, which led to the aircraft being immobilized on the runway.
The Liberia Airport Authority (LAA) addressed the situation in a statement, labeling it an "unfortunate near-accident situation" while refuting claims that the incident was due to poor runway conditions, affirming that their infrastructure complies with international aviation safety standards.
As investigations to determine the precise cause of this incident continue, normal airport operations have resumed following the aircraft's removal from the runway. The presidential office has not yet provided official commentary on the situation, although they did share images of the president's arrival at the airport, where he addressed journalists without referencing the scare.
This event is one among many that underscore the importance of aviation safety and operational integrity, especially for high-profile government officials.
