Singapore training aircraft skids at Sibu Airport

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SIBU: The landing of a King Air C90B aircraft caused panic among ground crew and passengers at Sibu Airport yesterday.

Ground crew rushing to tow the plane away from the runway around noon at Sibu Airport.

Passengers checking their flight details at Sibu Airport.

Airport crew preparing to tow the plane from Runway 13.

The twin turbo-prop carrier from Seletar Airport in Singapore skidded off the runway during touchdown around noon.

A Singaporean pilot and two foreign trainees were on board the unscheduled flight.

Sibu Airport manager Zainuddin Abu Nasir said all three were uninjured.

“The plane veered off to the grass area as it landed on Runway 13,” he told a media conference at Sibu Airport Management office here yesterday.

As a result, he said seven other flights were affected as the airport was forced to close the
runway as its ground crew went off to pull the aircraft out of the runway.

“The runway was reopened at 3.05pm after the aircraft was removed. A flight to Johor Baharu scheduled to depart at 11.50am, had to be retimed for departure at 4.05pm, while a flight from Kuching had to turn back after the runway was closed.”

According to Zainuddin, the Transport Ministry and Civil Aviation Depertment are still investigating the incident.

A witness, who wanted to be known only as Tou, was among the passengers on board the rescheduled flight bound for Johor Baharu.

“Our flight was ready for takeoff when the captain announced that we had to wait.

“I could see the small aircraft landing on the grass, from my window. Moments later, our flight slowly drove back and taxied. At 12.35pm did, we were told disembark the flight,” said Tou, who is from Kapit.