Phuket Airport closed till evening after aircraft malfunctions while landing

PHUKET Airport has been closed till 6 p.m. today (Mar. 11) with 120 flights affected after an Air India Express airplane malfunctioned while landing on the runway but fortunately there were no injuries, Amarin TV and Naewna newspaper said.

Initial investigations revealed that the Boeing 737-800 aircraft, on flight AXB938 from Hyderabad to Phuket, made a hard landing causing the front main gear to break and the aircraft scraping the runway, with this preventing immediate moving off the runway.

While scheduled to land at 11.40 a.m. the airplane actually touched down at 11.24 a.m.

Phuket Airport issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) that the runway is temporarily closed from noon to 6 p.m. today. Relevant agencies are controlling the situation and airport safety procedures are being strictly followed.

Passengers affected by this incident are advised to contact their airlines directly to check the status of their flight and travel details before coming to the airport.

Meanwhile Phuket Tourist Police are taking care of the tourists aboard the Air India Express flight. There were seven crew members, 131 passengers, and two infants on board.

CAPTION:

The Air India Express airplane making a hard landing at Phuket Airport. Photos on this page – Amarin TV, on Front Page – Naewan

Watch video shared by Phuket Times on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/reel/3492918087522042

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