US MILITARY personnel had to be taken off their aircraft at Shannon airport yesterday in a delay caused by a burst tyre.
The airport was forced to close for almost 1½ hours after a tyre burst on the aircraft which was taxiing for take-off, leaving the aircraft blocking the airport’s only functioning runway.
One incoming flight had to be diverted to Cork while several departing aircraft were delayed as a result of the closure.
The incident occurred at 12.45pm as an Omni Air International aircraft carrying American troops back to the US, was taxiing to the main runway.
The DC-10, which was carrying almost 300 passengers and crew, was approaching Shannon’s main runway when the tyre burst.
As the aircraft came to a stop at the intersection of the taxiway on the runway, the airport had to be shut down until the jet could be safely removed.
This resulted in the airport being closed to all incoming and outgoing aircraft for one hour and 25 minutes.
The US military personnel on board the aircraft had to be “deplaned” in situ before the aircraft could be safely towed clear of the runway.
The aircraft could only be moved a short distance as to try and tow it any farther could have resulted in damage being caused to the surface of the taxiway.
A Shannon airport representative confirmed: “The incident occurred at 12.45pm at the intersection of taxiway alpha and the main runway.
“We had to close the airport while efforts were made to move the plane. We had just one flight from Lodz in Poland diverted to Cork airport while five aircraft which were due to depart were delayed for a short time.”
The representative confirmed: “There was no damage to the surface of the runway or taxiway as a result of the incident.
“The aircraft was towed clear and the tyre and other minor repairs were undertaken in situ. The passengers were also deplaned and returned to the terminal building.”
The airport was reopened at 2.10pm after ground crews had carried out a detailed inspection of the taxiway and runway and removed the debris left by the tyre.
On September 21st last an Omni Air International DC-10 aircraft with 296 passengers and crew on board was forced to declare a full emergency and return to Shannon soon after the pilot reported a technical problem shortly after leaving the airport.
The aircraft had made a technical stop at Shannon earlier and had been travelling to the US from the Middle East.
A day earlier another aircraft operated by the US military made an emergency landing at Shannon after one of its engines failed over the Atlantic.