LIAT aborts flight

Up to press time Wednesday, officials of regional airline LIAT, were not able to say what caused a flight leaving the E.T. Joshua Airport to abort take-off at the last moment, last week.{{more}}

Information was not forthcoming to SEARCHLIGHT as to the reasons why on Friday, January 11, LIAT flight 771, on its way to Piarco International Airport, came to a stop, just metres from the edge of the runway.

The near tragedy was witnessed by an individual, who was looking out of her window overlooking the airport, when the incident took place.

The eyewitness said that at about 9:55 a.m., what to her seemed to be a routine take-off, almost took a turn for the worse.

“I heard the plane ready to take off for a long time, so I paid it no mind, cause I saw it going down the runway, so I just went back to what I was doing.

“Then I heard like a plane coming, but I was that is too soon, knowing how they operate, so I was like how could one come in and one just take off?

“You know when you hear a plane coming in how it sounds? It sounds a lot heavier than when they taking off; that’s what I heard.”

The eyewitness said that when she returned to the window, she saw the aircraft at the runway’s end.

She added that the plane returned to the tarmac, and then took off without any further incident.

Aborted flights are not an everyday occurrence at the E.T Joshua airport, but when they occur, it is usually due to high winds or weight concerns.

SEARCHLIGHT contacted head of LIAT Communications Desmond Browne for a comment on the matter, but up to press time had not received a response. (JJ)