Plane carrying Liberian president involved in landing scare

Flights were temporarily disrupted at Liberia main airport on Thursday night after a private jet carrying President Joseph Boakai almost crashed while landing.

Part of the presidential jet’s landing gear malfunctioned while approaching the runway, causing a rough landing, airport authorities said.

The incident, which sparked panic at the airport, forced the cancellation of all scheduled flights for the night, local media reported.

President Boakai, who was returning from a trip in Nigeria with his entourage, was safely evacuated unharmed, as authorities announced an investigation.

Photos of the stalled jet at the Roberts International Airport (RIA) circulated on social media, triggering concerns about the president’s safety.

Local media, citing airport authorities, said one of the plane’s tyres had burst upon landing leaving it stranded on the runway.

In a statement, the Liberia Airport Authority (LAA) confirmed the “unfortunate near-accident situation” involving the presidential jet.

The authority dismissed reports suggesting that the incident was caused by poor runway conditions.

“The runway infrastructure remains fully compliant with international aviation safety standards,” the LAA said.

The aircraft has since been removed from the runway and normal operations have resumed at the airport, the authorities said.

“At this stage, investigation to establish the actual cause of the incident is ongoing, and the airport authority will keep the public informed,” the LAA said.

The Liberian presidency is yet to comment on the incident but it shared photos of Boakai arriving at the airport, where he briefly spoke to journalists without mentioning the plane scare.

He had gone to Nigeria to attend the 50th anniversary of the regional Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas).