RwandaAir aircraft that skidded off the Entebbe Airport main runway/Courtesy photo
A RwandAir aircraft CRJ9 flight number 464 has veered off the main runway at Entebbe International Airport on landing due to bad weather, according to Uganda Civil Aviation Authority-UCAA.
In its press statement dated April 20, UCAA says the incident happened at 5:31am, and that efforts are underway to remove the aircraft from the runway strip so that the main runway can return to full use.
RwandAir, in its press statement dated April 20 says the its aircraft flight WB464 upon landing at Entebbe Airport was involved in a runway incursion as a result of bad weather. It adds that “all passengers and flight crew deplaned safely with no reported injuries.”
The flight had 44 passengers and 7 crew members who disembarked safely from the plane on the main runway 17/35 on Wednesday morning.
The incident comes three years after an Ethiopian Airlines Aircraft, carrying 139 passengers, skidded off the main runway at Entebbe airport. The incident happened at 12:41 am on January 3, 2019 when the plane a Boeing 737-800, overshot the runway. All the passengers and flight crew disembarked safely but the incoming flights were affected by the incident.
Vianney Luggya, the UCAA spokesperson says small and light aircrafts are landing on the alternate runway, 17/30 as the authorities try to remove the RwandaAir aircraft from the main runway.
Incoming flights for big carriers are being diverted to Nairobi, Kenya and Juba, South Sudan for now. So far flights for Flydubai, Qatar Airways and Saudia have been diverted to Nairobi. Saudia flight number SV491 scheduled to land at 6:15am was the first to be diverted this morning, followed by Qatar Airways flight number QR1385 scheduled to land at 7:20am.
Flydubai flight FZ619, scheduled to land at 10:30am has also been diverted to Juba, South Sudan. Uganda Airlines flight UR711 from Nairobi has delayed that was scheduled to land in Entebbe at 9:15am was also delayed.
Other flights from Mombasa, Masai Mara, Kigali remain on schedule for landing between 11am to 2pm today.
