Thai Airways’ International Flight 679 skidded off the runway as it touched Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport on Sunday night. The Airbus A330-300 aircraft, carrying 288 passengers and 14 crew members, had departed from Guangzhou, China, at 9.25 PM and reached Bangkok at 11.20 PM where the incident occurred.
Sources inside the airline confirmed that the incident was caused by a landing gear malfunction leading the aircraft to skid off the runway. Witnesses state sparks were seen on the right side of the landing gear – close to the engine. The pilot remained in control of the aircraft, throughout, until the plane came to a complete halt – avoiding what could have resulted in a disaster. The crew then evacuated the passengers, safely, out of the Airbus.
There were no fatalities or injuries during the landing process, however, 13 passengers received negligible injuries while conducting evacuation procedures. Thai Airways International released an official statement announcing that they will conduct a detailed investigation as to the cause of the incident.
“At this stage Airbus has no detailed information on the event and therefore cannot comment,” an Airbus official stated, “We are dispatching a team of experts to support both the investigation authorities and Thai Airways.”
The airport is still under the clearing process and delays in flights are expected on Monday.
Thai Airways International has established a helpline for details about the incident:
Domestic 02 545 3181
International +66 2 545 3181
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