SANTIAGO, Chile.- Two planes, including one from Aerolíneas Argentinas, collided this Wednesday on the runway of the Santiago international airport.an incident that altered the normal operation of Chile’s main air terminal for a few hours.
According to preliminary information, The incident occurred during ground maneuverswhen a Latam aircraft that was preparing to take off at the Arturo Merino Benítez airport bound for Brazil collided with the wings of an Aerolíneas Argentinas plane that was on the runway.
The General Directorate of Civil Aeronautics (DGAC) of Chile specified that the incident involved a Boeing 737 from Aerolíneas Argentinas and an Airbus A321 from Latam Airlinesand confirmed that no injuries were reported.
“The passengers were disembarked and will be rescheduled,” they indicated, after the flights were canceled. “The DGAC will carry out the respective investigation”added the organization.
After the incident, Aerolíneas Argentinas reported that the plane was out of service and that the passengers were relocated to another flight.
“In relation to flight AR1267 that covered the Santiago de Chile-Aeroparque J. Newbery route, the Aerolíneas Argentinas Boeing 737 aircraft that was stopped and waiting for takeoff, was hit from behind by a Latam aircraft while transferring to another position. The impact caused damage to the stabilizer bar of the Aerolíneas Argentinas team, leaving the plane out of service.. According to the first surveys, these are minor damages,” the company said in a statement.
Aerolíneas Argentinas clarified “that At no time was the safety of passengers and crew at stake.which were disembarked in accordance with security protocols and relocated to successive flights.”
According to the statement, most of the passengers were relocated last night to Sky flight 5008 departing Aeroparque at 00:40, while the rest of the passengers were relocated to flight AR1281 that departed Chile on Thursday morning.
“Aerolíneas Argentinas reaffirms its maximum commitment to operational safety, and regrets the inconveniences that have arisen from this incident. In addition, it is reported that The company has already initiated the corresponding claim procedures for the damage caused“, adds the statement.
The Latam group also released a statement about the incident: “During the taxiing prior to takeoff of flight LA756 (which was preparing to fly the Santiago-San Pablo route), the aircraft had contact with an Aerolíneas Argentinas aircraft on the apron. which caused minor damage to one of its wings.”.
The airline reported that as part of the protocol, all passengers disembarked and were relocated to a new flight, which took off at 00:29 on Wednesday.
“The airline activated its security protocols and is investigating what happened in coordination with the corresponding authorities. LATAM Airlines Group reaffirms that safety is an untradeable value and that all its operational decisions are made safeguarding this principle,” the statement concludes.
According to a testimony collected by Radio ADN of Chile, one of the passengers on the Latam flight reported that the aircraft was in full taxi prior to takeoff when it felt “a very strong blow” in the back.
The same witness indicated that, minutes before the impact, some occupants had already noticed the unusual proximity to another aircraft.
The passenger interviewed by Radio ADN also warned about the potential risk of the situation: “It could have been more seriousbecause if this happened when the plane was gaining speed, it could have been much worse.”
According to ADN, the passengers, mostly Brazilian nationals, expressed their surprise and questioned how two modern planes could collide that way on the runway.
The Latam flight, which was destined for San Pablo, was finally rescheduled for around 00:30 this Thursday.
With information from El Mercurio/GDA
