Crisis During Hajj Flight! Afriqiyah Airways Plane Skids Off Runway in Libya
An Afriqiyah Airways Airbus A330-300 passenger aircraft skidded off the runway on Saturday, 24 May, during midday hours at Beida Al Abraq International Airport (LAQ) in eastern Libya, just before takeoff.
The wide-body aircraft, registered 5A-ONQ, veered into unpaved ground adjacent to runway 10 while performing a pushback manoeuvre for Hajj flight 8U1542 bound for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The incident occurred during taxi operations ahead of departure.
It was reported that the right main landing gear (MLG) and the nose landing gear (NLG) slipped off the asphalt surface. In a statement from Afriqiyah Airways, it was emphasised that there were no injuries or material damage resulting from the incident.
Aviation authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, which occurred during one of the busiest periods of the Hajj season.
