City Link plane bursts tyre, skids off runway

Kumasi, July 2, GNA - A scheduled City Link flight from Kumasi to Accra was delayed for several hours on Saturday afternoon after the plane skidded off the runway on landing from Accra.

About 17 passengers, who had been waiting for the flight back to Accra were thrown into a state of fear and anxiety after waiting for more than an hour and a half before the 9G-LET aircraft touched down only to skid almost into the bushes on the Kumasi airport Captain Danny Larkai, the Flight Captain explained to the passengers that everything was fine when they left Accra, "but the tyre at the nose of the plane burst on touching down and forced the plane to skid sideways into the bush you see over there."

"I have flown for more than 15 years and can say that there is nothing wrong with the aircraft and can guarantee your safety. I would not risk my life either."

Looking rather confident and relaxed, Capt. Larkai assured the passengers that there was nothing wrong with the aircraft, "except the tyre, which was slightly worn out.

"We had planned to change it on landing in Kumasi," he said. About 13 passengers, fearing for their lives returned to Accra by road.

The aircraft however, stuck on the tarmac between 1125 hours and 1655 hours, when officials desperately sought to get a replacement to enable the flight to continue the flight.