Qatar Airways escapes crash over burst tyre at MMIA

No fewer than 100 passengers of Qatar Airways escaped unhurt on Thursday when one of their aircraft-Boeing 767 experienced tyre burst.

The sudden incident occurred while the aircraft was attempting to initiate a take-off on the runway 18 Right of the international wing of the Murtala Muhammad Airport in Lagos.

The tyre burst happened at exactly 2.59. p.m. after the Captain of the aircraft had been issued clearance for takeoff.

It was gathered that the aircraft was already set to gather speed for take-off when, unexpectedly, one of the tyres burst with a loud sound.

The pilots later stopped briefly, before moving the aircraft back to the terminal.

A passenger, who does not want her name in print, informed that prayers rented the air when they heard the loud sound as they were stricken with fear.

“We are held in fear for some time. We thank God that the plane has not gathered the full speed for takeoff, we would have been saying something else,” the passenger said.

As at the time of filling this report, the plane was still parked at one of the hangers of the international airport for repairs and certification before it would return back to operation.

Contacted, the General Manager, Public Affairs of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Mr. Sam Adurogboye, said he was not aware of the incident but stated that the airline might have reported the incident to the civil aviation authority of its country.

Adurogboye explained that NCAA will certify the aircraft when the airline reports the incident.