28/05 Situation at the Toussaint Louverture airport

https://www.haitilibre.com/article-8663-haiti-social-situation-a-l-aeroport-toussaint-louverture.html

Sunday, May 26, around 2:30 p.m., at the Toussaint Louverture International Airport, a Brazilian military aircraft of the FAB (Brazilian Air Force), a Boeing B707, registration KC-137 carrying the fifth rotation of the 17th Brazilian contingent at destination of Manaus, Brazil encountered a technical problem forcing the pilot to an emergency maneuver, causing a off the runway of the aircraft, which damaged the landing gear.

One of the engines caught fire, without knowing whether it is the cause of the interruption of takeoff or the consequences of the off the runway. The 131 Brazilian soldiers on board and 12 crew members evacuated the craft safe and sound.

According to Max Justin, Spokesperson of the airport police "fire erupted as the airplane was speeding down the runway Sunday and the craft ran into the grass. Fire crews put out the blaze [...] its front landing-gear had snapped off."

Colonel Marcos Santos, spokesman of the Brazilian contingent of the Minustah has announced the opening of an investigation, noting that operations were underway to tow the plane blocking the tarmac of the airport. The Minustah has put its resources at the disposal of the Haitian airport authorities and of Brazilian government to support efforts of securing and movement of the aircraft to allow the airport to resume operations at the earliest.

This incident led to the cancellation of all flights from Port-au-Prince and those to Haiti, were diverted to Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. Sunday night, the National Airports Authority (AAN) had still not announced the resumption of air traffic.

HL/ HaitiLibre