Liberia: 'Such Expertise Had My Coronary heart in My Mouth' - Passenger Onboard SN Brussels Narrates Petrifying Expertise At RIA

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Monrovia — Experiencing the sudden abortion of touchdown by a flight nearly hitting a darkish runway was the “most horrific, terrifying and nerve-racking” incident ever confronted by Sweetie Sharpe who was onboard Brussels SN2608 which needed to hover over Liberian airspace a number of occasions earlier than rerouting to Freetown, Sierra Leone.

The flight aborted the touchdown after descending on the Roberts Worldwide Airport and out of the blue found that the runway was darkish – one thing that would have put the lives of passengers on board in extreme hazard.

Narrating her expertise, Sweetie Sharpe who recorded a video of the pilot saying why the aircraft couldn’t land and shared it on social media recalled that the after the touchdown was aborted, the aircraft hovered within the air for practically half-hour earlier than deciding to land in Freetown due because it was operating low on jet gasoline.

“Practically just a few seconds into touchdown the pilot realized there was no electrical energy on the runway making such touchdown unimaginable! For at the very least half-hour we hovered across the metropolis hoping the electrical energy will come again or at the very least talk with somebody at ROB Airport. At which, we had no luck..everybody on board together with myself panicked and have become very afraid. No gentle, no communication from ROB workers completely, no reply… ,” she recalled.

She added, “Such expertise had my coronary heart in my mouth, very scared, scary sufficient contemplating all the different elements that come when flying. The concept of experiencing excessive turbulence is terrifying, and the concept of crashing is much more fearful. My expertise was simply an absolute nightmare!”

Within the video recorded by Ms. Sharpe, the pilot is heard saying “I wish to inform you that the airport in Monrovia is closed and there’s no electrical energy in the intervening time. They’re attempting to repair it, however we’ve some gasoline to do just a few miles; however till now, we haven’t any contact on the airport of Monrovia so we’ve determined to return to Freetown. In Freetown, we are going to see if we are able to take some gasoline and what the choice could be subsequent… “

RIA: Technical Glitch, Not Blackout

Airport authorities on Wednesday night time blamed the unlucky incident on the airport crew chargeable for lighting on the airport and vowed to take punitive actions towards these accountable.

In an announcement issued on Thursday, the Liberia Airport Authority denied that the airport was of electrical energy on the time SN Brussels tried touchdown, however mentioned there was a “technical glitch”. In line with the airport administration, the difficulty was resolved in report time.

RIA Administration: “At no time, throughout or earlier than this technical incidence, was there an influence outage on the Roberts Worldwide Airport, nor was the airport ever closed. The strategy management was in communication with the Plane always till they made the choice to divert.

“Administration reassures all airport customers that we’re dedicated to making sure their security.”

On the similar time, the Liberia Civil Aviation Authority (LCAA), the regulatory physique for the aviation sector, in an announcement expressed concern over the incident involving SN Brussels.

“We’re grateful that the aircraft safely landed on the RIA that night time, following a number of frantic efforts by the Liberia Airport Authority and the Roberts Worldwide Airport Administration,” the LCAA acknowledged.

In line with the LCAA, its technical group is engaged on preventive measures with the Liberia Airport Authority to make sure that there is no such thing as a future incidence.

“As a regulatory physique, we are able to guarantee the general public that we’ll conduct an unbiased and thorough investigation into the scenario in accordance with the Worldwide Civil Aviation Group’s requirements,” the LCAA acknowledged.

That is the second time in three months a descending aircraft has been pressured to abort touchdown as a consequence of darkish runway on the RIA. In February, Royal Air Maroc was pressured to additionally divert its touchdown to Freetown as a result of similar purpose.

Thus far, solely SN Brussels and Air France are flying immediately from Europe to Monrovia. Nevertheless, Air France is anticipated to make its final journey to Liberia on April 30. The airways mentioned, the cancellation of flights to Monrovia is as a result of inviability of the market right here and the disaster in Mali. Air France resumed its flights to Monrovia in 2020.

“Based mostly on the financial efficiency, the present geopolitical scenario and the Air France-KLM’s general plan to revive its profitability, Air France has determined to droop its flights to Monrovia, Liberia, as of the top of April 2022. Prospects already booked on flights after the top of April, can be knowledgeable individually. The shoppers involved can change their journey plans or cancel the journey and request a refund. Air France wish to thank the federal government of Liberia and the airport authorities for his or her continued assist within the operation of this route” Air France acknowledged within the assertion issued.