Air Canada Plane Skids Off Runway, Catches Fire At Halifax Airport
An Air Canada plane, operating as flight AC2259 and managed by PAL Airlines, skidded off the runway and caught fire at Halifax Stanfield International Airport on Sunday, following a malfunction in its landing gear. The plane was arriving from St. John’s when the failure of its landing gear caused the wing to scrape the runway, igniting a fire.
Fortunately, there were no fatalities, and emergency responders were able to quickly contain the fire and evacuate all passengers. The incident highlights ongoing concerns about air travel safety, as it marked the third major aviation accident reported globally on the same day.
Earlier in the morning, a Jeju Air passenger plane carrying 180 passengers caught fire while on the ground in Muan, South Korea, resulting in the tragic deaths of 176 people. Additionally, in Norway, a KLM Airlines Boeing 737-800 with 176 passengers and six crew members made an emergency landing at Oslo Torp Sandefjord Airport due to a hydraulic failure. The plane skidded off the runway but ultimately stopped on the grass near a taxiway.
Aviation authorities in Canada, South Korea, and Norway are investigating the causes of the respective incidents.
In the UK, heavy fog over the weekend disrupted operations at the country’s busiest airports. Stansted Airport reported multiple delays and cancellations, and other airports like Heathrow, Luton, and Manchester were also affected. Travelers were urged to check flight schedules before heading to the airports as the weather continued to impact air traffic.
