Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube, [email protected]
THE Airports Company of Zimbabwe (ACZ) has described as unfortunate but well-managed an incident where a RwandAir aircraft burst a tyre while taking off resulting in a disruption of service at Robert Mugabe International Airport on Monday afternoon.
There were no injuries and operations resumed 25 minutes later.
In a statement, ACZ spokesperson Mr Tonderai Mangombe said the airport’s state-of-the-art facilities and personnel ensured that the situation was managed well and services were restored.
The airline was bound for Cape Town when the near accident occurred just before 1 pm.
“The Airports Company of Zimbabwe would like to provide an update on the recent tyre burst incident involving RwandAir at Robert Mugabe International Airport. On 18 December 2023, a RwandAir flight with 65 passengers and eight crew members en route to Cape Town experienced a tyre burst during a take-off run at 1245hrs resulting in a temporary disruption of service on the runway.
“We are pleased to report that there were no injuries recorded as a result of this incident. The safety and well-being of all passengers and crew members are of utmost importance to us and we commend the swift response and professionalism of RwandAir crew and airport rescue of fire-fighting services in ensuring their safety. The incident was resolved at 1510hrs and we confirm that that the runway and the runway operations have now resumed at RG Mugabe International Airport,” said Mr Mangombe.
He said ACZ extends its gratitude to all involved parties including the RwandAir and Air Zimbabwe team for their cooperation and assistance in resolving the situation.
“ACZ would like to reaffirm to the public that the RG Mugabe International Airport has a state-of-the-art newly rehabilitated runway that meets all international safety standards and requirements. Safety remains our top priority and we are committed to optimizing the customers’ travel experience through sustainable development and management of quality airports. We apologise for any inconvenience caused to passengers and airlines due to the temporary disruption of service and we appreciate your understanding and cooperation during this period of disrupted service,” added Mr Mangombe.
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