CBC reported that the propeller plane, flight 2259 of Air Canada but operated by PAL Airlines, had trouble landing at Halifax airport, eastern Canadian province of Nova Scotia at 9:30 p.m. on December 28 (after plane crash in Korea over 1 hour). The plane took off from St. John’s, province of Newfoundland and Labrador about 2 hours earlier.
The plane crashed in Halifax (Canada) on the evening of December 28, local time
PHOTO: CBC SCREENSHOT
Passenger Nikki Valentine said one of the plane’s landing gears failed to deploy, causing the plane to tilt to one side and land on the road. “The plane shook a little bit and we saw fire on the left side of the plane and smoke starting to come out of the windows,” Ms Valentine said.
Airport authorities have temporarily closed the airport. All passengers and crew were evacuated and medically examined.
Ms. Valentine estimates the plane can carry about 80 passengers. The passenger said the plane was almost full and it took about 2 minutes for all passengers to disembark.
Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick confirmed that the plane had a suspicious problem with the landing gear after arriving at Halifax airport. He said the flight crew and 73 passengers were evacuated by bus. Fitzpatrick said no one on the plane was injured, but a Nova Scotia mounted police spokesman said there were a few minor injuries reported.
The incident occurred immediately after Jeju Air’s Boeing 737-800 had a problem with the landing gear and landed on its belly at Muan Airport, South Jeolla Province, southern Korea. The plane crashed into a fence at the end of the runway, causing a large explosion. Of the 181 people on the plane, only 2 flight attendants sitting in the back of the plane were rescued. To date, rescue forces have confirmed that 124 people have died.
