Boeing 737 With 85 People Onboard Skids Off Runway at Senegal’s Dakar Airport, 10 Injured

Dakar: A major incident averted at the airport in Senegal’s capital city Dakar, when a Boeing 737 aircraft carrying 85 people skidded off the runway at Blaise Diagne airport, causing injuries to 10 people on Wednesday night. Following the incident, the transport minister of the country issued a statement over the incident saying that at least 10 people onboard flight sustained injuries during the mishap. The injured persons have been shifted to a hospital for treatment, where they are said to be stable.

Transport Minister El Malick Ndiaye, stated that the Air Senegal flight operated by TransAir was headed to Bamako late on Wednesday carrying 85 people including two pilots and four cabin crew.

Emergency protocols have been activated at the airport

Meanwhile, following the incident involving a Transair-owned Boeing 737-300 chartered by Air Senegal, which took place at Blaise Diagne airport, a probe has been initiated. According to the reports, the plane skidded off the runway at around 6.30 am as per the Indian time, while getting ready to depart for Mali.

A video claimed to be of the incident is also circulating on social media, which purportedly shows the plane, bearing the logo of Senegal-based airline TransAir, resting on grass with its wing covered in fire-suppressing foam.

The airport authority, meanwhile, has closed the airport and activated the emergency protocols.

It’s worth noting that Boeing has been dealing with heightened regulatory scrutiny and other fallout from a midair blowout of a cabin panel door plug on a nearly new 737 MAX 9 in January. The plane maker is carrying the burden of multiple sequential crises from deadly crashes of two 737 MAX jets to the deep slump in travel during the pandemic.