PHUKET: A charter flight from China was diverted to another airport after an incident at Phuket International Airport tonight.
A wheel or a tyre was damaged as Flight OX833 from Guiyang attempted a landing about 6pm with 130 passengers on board.
Stormy conditions, with heavy rain and a strong, gusty wind, made conditions unsafe with a damaged wheel to attempt an emergency landing.
The Orient Thai aircraft was diverted to Surat Thani Airport, where the weather was milder, the deputy consul at the Chinese Consulate in Had Yai, Songkhla, told Phuketwan tonight.
''We are awaiting a full report but it appears a tyre burst as the plane attempted a landing,'' he said.
''Phuket weather has a reputation for small, fierce storms, so it was considered better to fly on to Surat Thani than attempt a second landing on Phuket.''
The diversion meant that an Orient Thai domestic flight from Phuket to Bangkok that was to be undertaken at 7pm using the same aircraft had to be cancelled.
Arrangements were being made to bring the charter passengers from Surat Thani to Phuket by road.
The deputy consul said he would lodge a complaint because officials at Phuket International Airport were unable to tell consular officials what had happened when they first called about the incident this evening.
An Air Berlin Airbus 330-200 was involved in an airport emergency on Phuket in December when an engine failed on takeoff.
On September 16, 2007, a One-Two-Go flight from Bangkok crashed on landing on Phuket, killing 90 passengers and crew. There were 40 survivors.
A wheel or a tyre was damaged as Flight OX833 from Guiyang attempted a landing about 6pm with 130 passengers on board.
Stormy conditions, with heavy rain and a strong, gusty wind, made conditions unsafe with a damaged wheel to attempt an emergency landing.
The Orient Thai aircraft was diverted to Surat Thani Airport, where the weather was milder, the deputy consul at the Chinese Consulate in Had Yai, Songkhla, told Phuketwan tonight.
''We are awaiting a full report but it appears a tyre burst as the plane attempted a landing,'' he said.
''Phuket weather has a reputation for small, fierce storms, so it was considered better to fly on to Surat Thani than attempt a second landing on Phuket.''
The diversion meant that an Orient Thai domestic flight from Phuket to Bangkok that was to be undertaken at 7pm using the same aircraft had to be cancelled.
Arrangements were being made to bring the charter passengers from Surat Thani to Phuket by road.
The deputy consul said he would lodge a complaint because officials at Phuket International Airport were unable to tell consular officials what had happened when they first called about the incident this evening.
An Air Berlin Airbus 330-200 was involved in an airport emergency on Phuket in December when an engine failed on takeoff.
On September 16, 2007, a One-Two-Go flight from Bangkok crashed on landing on Phuket, killing 90 passengers and crew. There were 40 survivors.
Just remember with Flight AB7425, on the night of 20 12 2012, that on returning to carry out an emergency landing, it burst a tyre on landing. No information was forthcoming from Phuket airport authorities, to let people awaiting the arriving passengers as to the nature of the delay. I was on the flight directly behind the Air Berlin plane and we had to use our mobile phones onboard while flying to Bangkok to alert our family and friends. No the use of so many phones being used while flying had no effect on the airbus I was on, I was chatting to the Captain the whole time en route to Bangkok.
Once again it looks like the officials at Phuket International Airport were unable to supply any information about the incident, to anybody on the ground. Thank heavens there was not a major incident at PIA this evening.
Posted by Robin on August 1, 2013 00:14