GHANA: President Atta Mills visits plane crash site in Accra where at least ten people were killed when a Nigerian-operated cargo plane overshot the runway in heavy rain and ran into a minibus

Record ID: 382899

  • Title: GHANA: President Atta Mills visits plane crash site in Accra where at least ten people were killed when a Nigerian-operated cargo plane overshot the runway in heavy rain and ran into a minibus
  • Date: 4th June 2012
  • Summary: ELWAK MILITARY STADIUM NEXT TO ACCRA AIRPORT, ACCRA, GHANA ( JUNE 3, 2012 ) (REUTERS ) VARIOUS OF CROWD WATCHING CRASHED PLANE WITH VEHICLES MOVING IN FOREGROUND ARMED SECURITY GUARDING SITE GHANA PRESIDENT JOHN ATTA MILLS SHAKING HANDS WITH MILITARY OFFICER AND WALKING MILLS WALKING WITH PLANE SEEN IN BACKGROUND (SOUNDBITE) (English) GHANA PRESIDENT JOHN ATTA MILLS, SAYING: "I have no doubt whatsoever that at the of the period you'll be able to solve this problem. I am happy with what I am seeing. I commend you for spending some time you could have used for other things to be able to resolve this situation." FIRE-FIGHTER WATCHING VARIOUS OF PLANE WITH MILLS SEEN WALKING IN BACKGROUND CRASHED CAR WITH BLOOD STAINS ON THE GROUND VARIOUS OF PLANE WITH PEOPLE IN BACKGROUND (SOUNDBITE) (English) DOREEN OWUSU FIANKO, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF GHANA'S AIRPORT, SAYING: "His excellency the president paid a visit to them (plane crew) and they are saying that it is purely an issue of aquaplaning. I will explain. When there is serious downpour on the runway as it happens everywhere in the world, it is difficult to apply breaks and stuff like that. That is what happened to them. But normally we have ducts under the runways which should collect all the water in a matter of seconds. But it just happened when the pool was probably high." BROKEN WALLS OF AIRPORT CRASHED BY PLANE CRASHED TAXI MORE OF CRASHED PLANEs
  • Embargoed: 19th June 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Ghana
  • Country: Ghana
  • Topics: Accidents
  • Reuters ID: LVAA55TAIY7ONQD7FJM8HKLDJLC
  • Story Text: Ghana's president John Atta Mills on Sunday (June 3) visited the site where a cargo jet slammed into a mini-van at Ghana's Accra airport the night before in heavy rain trying to land, overshooting the runway and killing at least ten people.
    Mills addressed the fire-fighter and security officers who worked through the night to clear and secure the site.
    "I have no doubt whatsoever that at the end of the period you'll be able to solve this problem. I am happy with what I am seeing. I commend you for spending some time you could have used for other things to be able to resolve this situation," said Atta Mills.
    The Boeing 727-200 was operated by Nigerian cargo airline Allied Air, Doreen Owusu Fianko, managing director of Ghana Airport Company, told reporters.
    "His excellency the president paid a visit to them (plane crew) and they are saying that it is purely an issue of aquaplaning...when there is serious downpour on the runway as it happens everywhere in the world, it is difficult to apply breaks and stuff like that. That is what happened to them. But normally we have ducts under the runways which should collect all the water in a matter of seconds," Fianko said, adding that all four crew of the aircraft had survived the accident.
    The plane had taken off from Lagos, Nigeria, but failed to stop at the end of the runway after it touched down at Accra's Kotoka airport just after 7 p.m. (1900 GMT), she said.
    The airport perimeter wall near the road was smashed.
    Operations at the airport remained normal with all flights on schedule, Fianko said. Officials did not say what the plane was carrying.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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