Xiamen Air Overshoots Runway in Manila

A Xiamen Air Boeing 737-800 jet overshot the runway at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila earlier this month, shutting down the largest runway at the country's main international gateway for more than 24 hours.

Image Source: Channel News Asia

The aircraft, which was arriving from Xiamen, veered off the runway in Manila as it was landing in torrential rains with 165 people on board. The incident occurred just prior to midnight on August 16. All passengers and crew aboard the aircraft were evacuated safely with no serious injuries reported.

The incident resulted in the cancellation of dozens of flights on Friday in spite of the Manila International Airport Authority initially stating that the runway would re-open by 4pm on Friday. That deadline was later postponed to 5am on Saturday as crews struggled to remove the aircraft with the use of two cranes. 

A portion of the aircraft fuselage had been lifted off the ground by Friday morning to recover cargo, the flight data recorder, and the cockpit voice recorders, as authorities began investigating the cause of the incident. 

According to NAIA General Manager Ed Monreal, this was the aircraft's second attempt at landing, when it skidded off the grass and ripped off the left engine. He added that while no serious injuries occurred, four passengers received "superficial scratches" while evacuating the aircraft. Eric Apolonio, a spokesperson from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, added that the emergency chute was used to evacuate the aircraft due to the muddy conditions. 

Passengers of Xiamen Air flight 8667 were later brought to a local hotel near the airport. Photos were shared in Philippine media depicting passengers lined up inside the airport terminal wrapped in blankets. 

Reports from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines revealed that at least sixty-seven local and international flights were cancelled from Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Friday, as efforts to recover the aircraft were hampered further by heavy rains that softened the ground surrounding the runway, posing a challenge to lifting the aircraft.

Source: Channel News Asia