SA Airlink plane spins off runway

2009-11-18 18:11

Johannesburg - An SA Airlink aircraft with 32 passengers on board left the runway at the Port Elizabeth airport on Wednesday afternoon, Airports Company SA (Acsa) said.

"The plane, bound for East London, veered of the runway at 13:30 upon take off. It landed 40m away from the runway," said spokesperson Collen Naidoo.

None of passengers or the crew members on board were injured.

Netcare 911 spokesperson Jeff Wicks said all passengers were safely extricated from the plane by Acsa fire fighters and shuttled to the arrivals area.

"Passengers insist that as the plane rumbled down the runway and gathered speed they heard a loud noise from the left of the plane and it spun violently and skidded into the grass," said Wicks.

"Besides being visibly shaken all passengers and the crew are in good health."

Naidoo said the runway remains closed off until it is deemed safe, adding that a full investigation would be conducted by the Civil Aviation and the SA Police Service.

- SAPA