A Lion Air Boeing 737 has crashed at Mopah International Airport in Merauke, South Papua, Indonesia. The plane crashed into a terminal building while taking off from the airport. Based on the information available this incident happened on Thursday, 26 January. The airline’s aircraft was in the process of taking off from Mopa International Airport to Jayapura in Indonesia when the incident took place. Significantly, there is no information about any casualty in this incident.
As the aircraft was taking off from stand number 5 and preparing to take off on runway 34, the Boeing’s winglet collided with a jetbridge on the airport’s terminal building. terminal area. Significant structural damage was inflicted by both the airplane and the terminal building. Several pictures of the damaged building and the aircraft surfaced on the internet following the incident.
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When the incident happened, the Lion Air plane had 117 passengers, including 4 children, and 7 crew members on board. After the accident, the aircraft returned to its stand. Based on reports, passengers in the accident were given the option of being transferred to another flight or getting reimbursed.
A Lion Air 737 was damaged after hitting the terminal building as it was taxiing away from the stand at Merauke Mopah Airport in Indonesia. https://t.co/xWucucSiK8 pic.twitter.com/pam0k5vik7
– Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) January 26, 2023
Upon return to the gate the aircraft was fully body examined by ground personnel, and an examination technician declared the aircraft AOG (aircraft on the ground). Subsequent rotations of the aircraft have been cancelled, and it remains grounded. The fifteen-year-old aircraft, leased from Ergo Capital, began performing for Lion Air in February 2008.
The reason why the plane hit the building is not yet known. Furthermore, the airlines denied that the accident was caused by the negligence of the crew. However, many believe that the crash happened because the Boeing plane was trying to avoid an obstacle on the runway.