No injuries were reported but both aircraft sustained substantial damage.
In a dramatic \event, two planes veered off the same runway in Tanzania in East Africa just hours apart. According to The Independent, the incident took place on Tuesday. The first aircraft, a United Air Zanzibar plane, took off from Zanzibar with 30 passengers and three crew members on board. As it attempted to land on Kikoboga Airstrip, its main landing gear collapsed, causing the aircraft to veer off the runway and come to a stop on its nose gear, belly of the fuselage and both wings. No injuries were reported but the plane sustained substantial damage, as per the outlet.
Just about six hours later, the Kikoboga Airstrip was the site of another dramatic incident. The Independentreported that another plane with the same number of passengers took off from Kikoboga to head to Zanzibar when it suffered a nose gear collapse. Its right wing smashed into a building before the aircraft came to a stop. Like the earlier flight, no injuries were reported but the aircraft sustained substantial damage.
A video going viral on social media showed the aftermath of the crash and the damage to the planes. “Two EMB-120 Brasilia aircraft (5H-FLM and 5H-MJH) were damaged in separate accidents at Kikoboga Airstrip near Mikumi National Park, Tanzania. 5H-MJH had a gear collapse on landing. 5H-FLM hit a building with a wing and suffered a nose gear collapse,” an X user wrote while sharing the clip.
Watch the video below:
Two EMB-120 Brasilia aircraft (5H-FLM and 5H-MJH) were damaged in separate accidents at Kikoboga Airstrip near Mikumi National Park, Tanzania.
5H-MJH had a gear collapse on landing. 5H-FLM hit a building with a wing and suffered a nose gear collapse. pic.twitter.com/8r0VtZvqVE— Herbie aka the Gasman… (@HerbieNL) November 28, 2023
The clip showed the first aircraft on the grass and the second plane billowing smoke in the background by a building. The Tanzania Times reported the runway remained open with operations running as normal, but the Aircraft Accident Investigation Branch under the Ministry of Transport would further investigate what happened.
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In a statement, Catherine Mbena, Tanzania National Parks senior conservation officer for corporate communications, said, “The pilots worked hard in collaboration with officials of the airstrip to ensure that all passengers on board were safe”.
Meanwhile, reacting to the video of the incident, a user on X wrote, “What are the odds of two of the same model plane having a landing gear issue on the same day, at the same airport?” Another added, “Strange, very strange,” said another.
