Ryanair Plane Hits Barrier While Taxiing in Greece

Photo: AFP

A Ryanair flight had a small accident while moving on the ground at Kalamata Airport in Greece. The incident happened on Friday, June 21, 2024. The plane, a Boeing 737-800, came from the city of Dusseldorf in Germany. After it landed safely, it was moving (called taxiing) on the runway when it hit a metal barrier at the edge of the airport.

The front wheel of the plane struck the barrier, which caused some damage to the aircraft. However, no one was hurt in this accident. All passengers were safely taken off the plane.

The fire service and airport staff quickly came to check the plane and make sure everyone was safe. They confirmed that there was no fire or fuel leak. Still, they took extra care to avoid any risk. The passengers were calmly helped off the plane using stairs.

A local airport official said that the accident happened near the edge of the runway, close to a fence that marks the airport’s limit. This area should be clear for planes to move safely, so an investigation has started to find out how the plane came so close to the barrier.

The Greek Air Accident Investigation and Aviation Safety Board is now looking into the matter. They will check whether the problem happened because of a mistake by the pilot, the airport design, or something else.

The plane is being checked for repairs, and until the investigation is done, more flights at Kalamata Airport may be delayed or moved to other airports.

Even though this accident was not serious, it raised concerns about the safety of plane movements at smaller airports. Everyone was thankful that no one was hurt, and Ryanair said they are working with local teams to find out what went wrong.