Normality at Holguín airport after incident with Sunwing plane
- Written by Redacción ¡ahora!
- Published in Holguin
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Around nine o'clock at night on Tuesday, August 29, a B737-800 plane from the Canadian Sunwing airline of the Holguín- Montreal route, careened off the runway at the Frank País García International Airport in the Holguín province.
The event took place when the aircraft was carrying out the taxiing and turning maneuvers to join the airport's main runway, infringing the established limits and causing the rear landing gear to sink.
According to statements by Miguel Andrés Peña Peña, General Director of that air terminal, the incident took place with 180 passengers on board, in addition to the crew, who remained in place without regretting loss of life or material damage to the aircraft.
Peña, director of the air terminal, said that the causes that led to the departure of that plane from the runway are being investigated and he thanked the airport security team, the rescue brigade for their quick action, as well as the immediate presence of Ernesto Santiesteban Velázquez, First Secretary of the Party in the province, the airport authorities and the Minint forces.
The mistake of the airline's flight 645 bound for Montreal was the reason for the diversion to other alternate airports of the operations scheduled for the night, including: Swift Air SWQ - 281, Sunwing Airline SWG - 641 and Viva Aerobus VIV - 417.
Once the aircraft was removed from the airfield at night on Tuesday, the removal work of the plane was carried out, which allowed the restart of operations with total normality, starting at 11:15 am on Wednesday. August 30th.
The Airlines and Travel Agencies are currently taking the corresponding steps to guarantee the protection of their passengers on upcoming flights.
Ernesto Noya Borrego, Holguín Station Manager and Supervisor of the Viva Aerobús and Sunwing airlines, told the local media that it was a very difficult moment, in which the entire airport was paralyzed.
He added that they began to make contact with the airlines and later giving information to the rest of the passengers with delayed or canceled flights pending their decisions.
At the time of writing this information, the first group of passengers to be rescued from the plane arrived, who were transferred from the head of the runway to the interior of the terminal as indicated by the security protocols.
“It was a moment of great tension for all the passengers and we were very afraid for the return to Canada… We appreciate the quick action of the airport security and the good attention of the staff”, said the Canadian Balery Souby, who was traveling in the plane.
Raciel Hernández García, Representative of Sunwing Airlines in Holguín said that everything is ready for the return, although there were moments of great tension but coordination was achieved as established for the transfer by bus to the Guardalavaca tourist hotel complex.
He also pointed out that the decision of some passengers to return to Cuba is due to the security of the Holguín airport and the attractions of a safe destination.
