King Khalid International Airport in Saudi Arabia issued a clarifying statement regarding a plane incident on its runway, confirming “no injuries among passengers.”
The “King Khalid Airport” account on the “X” platform published a statement saying: “King Khalid International Airport clarifies that on Sunday, 19 Shawwal 1445 Hijri, corresponding to April 28, 2024, at 19:34, during the landing of Nas Airlines flight number XY224 from Doha, the plane veered off the main runway and stopped in the adjacent taxiway passing through the buffer zone between them.”
The statement added: “After ensuring the safety of passengers and the aircraft, the plane continued its journey to its designated parking position, and passengers disembarked safely, with their health being checked by airport management.”
It continued: “King Khalid International Airport management assures everyone that, thankfully, there are no injuries among passengers, and necessary regulatory procedures are being completed.”
While Aviation authorities in Saudi Arabia and Gulf countries enforce stringent safety regulations and conduct regular inspections of airports and airlines to ensure compliance with international safety standards, similar accidents occurred over the past few years. In March 2023, a Gulf Air flight from Bahrain to Dubai experienced a technical issue during landing at Dubai International Airport. The plane skidded off the runway but stopped safely. No injuries were reported among passengers or crew. In August 2016, Emirates Flight EK521 crash-landed at Dubai International Airport. The Boeing 777 aircraft caught fire after landing, resulting in the death of one firefighter. The incident prompted a review of safety protocols at the airport and led to enhanced training for emergency response teams. In March 2016, Flydubai Flight FZ981 crashed while attempting to land at Rostov-on-Don Airport in Russia. The crash resulted in the deaths of all 62 passengers and crew onboard. The incident led to comprehensive investigations into the cause of the crash and highlighted the importance of runway safety measures.
