Starbow crash: 5 injured, airline suspends operations

Following yesterday's traumatic incident involving a Starbow aircraft at the Kotoka International Airport, the domestic airline has "suspended its operations with immediate effect".

The Kumasi bound aircraft, ATR72-500 with registration 9G-SBF, skidded off the tarmac during its take-off run, Saturday afternoon.

A statement from the airline said even though "all 65 passengers and five crew members disembarked, as normal," five passengers on board flight S9 104, sustained injuries; albeit minor.

"All five were treated at the Airport Clinic," the statement added.

While assuring of its dedication to service with safety high on the agenda, the airline entreated "guests with future reservations" to "contact the airline at 024 500 0000 to make alternative travel arrangements".

Read below the airline's statement issued on the incident:

Starbow S9 104 Incident at Accra, Kotoka International Airport

Everyone at Starbow wishes to express their sincere regret for the distress experienced by our guests on Flight S9 104 on 25 November 2017 at 12:45, local time.

The service, operated by ATR72-500 (registration 9G-SBF), was a scheduled flight from Accra to Kumasi.

All 65 guests and five crew disembarked, as normal, though five guests were treated for minor injuries at the Airport Clinic. The Ghana Civil Aviation Authority has begun an investigation into the incident.

Eric Antwi, Chief Executive Officer, said: ‘All of us at Starbow at this time remain dedicated to our guests, our crew and their families. Their safety and wellbeing are at the heart of everything we do, and we will cooperate fully with the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, and other agencies, to determine the cause of this incident. We hope to be able to provide further information in due course’.

Starbow has suspended its operations with immediate effect and guests with future reservations are invited to contact the airline at 024 500 0000 to make alternative travel arrangements.

Eyewitness Account (VIDEO)



Meanwhile, a Deputy Minister of Energy who was on board the Starbow plane that nearly crashed, William Owuraku Aidoo, is implying negligence on the part of the pilot.

According to him, the pilot tried to brave the obvious storm that the plane was caught up in.

“As we were boarding the bus to the aircraft, I got a little concerned. I noticed the rains had started from afar approaching where we were parked” Mr. Owuraku Aidoo told Ghana Web.

Without making any definite statements on the matter, he said the pilot was probably trying to get airborne before the storm reached the airport.

“I am speculating that probably, the pilot tried to beat the oncoming clouds that were rolling in, and we taxied to the runway and the rain really caught up with us. So he stopped, prior to taking off proper, and I got more concerned because I could see that the rain was running down the windows very very fast when the plane was stationary, which signified to me that the wind was on the high side,” the minister recalled.

“When the pilot was about to take off, I said to himself, wait a minute, is this guy going to take off in this weather?”

“A few seconds later after taxing, we were blown off the runway, literally, completely, for about 80 metres, and I think the plane rested on the perimeter fence,” Mr. Owuraku Aidoo said.

Previous Starbow incidents

In 2015, passengers on board a Tamale-bound Starbow airline, had the scare of their lives when the aircraft, BAE with registration 9GSBB, crash landed in Tamale although no injuries were recorded.

In 2014, two people were injured after a Takoradi bound Starbow aircraft made an emergency landing.

The Ghana Civil Aviation Authority and other stakeholders in the aviation sector, have often been criticized for not cracking the whip enough on these airline operators, hence putting the lives of passengers at risk.