The Liberia Airport Authority (LAA) has confirmed a runway incident at Roberts International Airport (RIA) that temporarily delayed the landing of the aircraft bringing President Joseph Nyuma Boakai from Accra, Ghana, corroborating earlier reports by Verity News.
Minutes after the incident occurred, Verity News reported that the aircraft transporting President Boakai experienced a brief delay before landing at RIA. According to multiple passenger sources cited by the outlet, the Kenyan Airways aircraft was unable to land immediately due to a disabled Ethiopian Airlines plane that had broken down in the middle of the runway.
Passengers said the presidential aircraft circled in the air for some time while airport authorities worked to remove the stalled plane and secure the runway for a safe landing.
In a press statement issued Saturday night, January 31, the LAA provided official details of the incident, identifying the disabled aircraft as Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 943. The authority said the aircraft landed safely on Runway 22 at approximately 5:27 p.m. but suffered a mechanical malfunction while attempting to exit the runway via a designated taxiway, leaving it temporarily immobile.
“Airport recovery teams were immediately deployed, and the aircraft was safely towed from the runway to the tarmac,” the LAA said.
The authority emphasized that passengers and crew were safe at all times and that airport operations resumed smoothly after the runway was cleared.
The LAA further disclosed that the mechanical fault on the Ethiopian Airlines aircraft was promptly repaired and that the flight later departed on its scheduled journey.
In response to the incident, the airport authority has formally requested the Liberia Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) to conduct an independent investigation to determine the root cause and recommend measures to prevent a recurrence.
“The LAA remains committed to upholding the highest standards of aviation safety, operational efficiency, and service to the traveling public,” the statement concluded.
President Boakai later landed safely in Liberia following the clearance of the runway.
