Major tourist destination airport closes as plane skids off runway

Images show the extent of the horrifying damage

Phuket International Airport has been forced to close its only runway after an Air India Express flight from Hyderabad made a hard emergency landing, leaving the aircraft’s nose and front landing gear badly damaged.

The incident brought operations at the Thai island’s main gateway to a standstill in the early hours of Wednesday (March 11). The busy airport, located on Thailand’s largest island, handles more than 17million passengers each year.

Flight IX938, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, touched down at 04:24 UTC before coming to a stop on the tarmac with its front landing gear collapsed, according to images uploaded to social media, reports The Mirror.

Airport authorities have warned that the runway is likely to remain shut for some time while the aircraft is removed and safety inspections are carried out.

Flight-tracking service FlightRadar24 confirmed the closure, noting that photographs from the scene show the jet stranded on the runway with significant damage to its forward section. The disruption is expected to affect both domestic and international services at one of Thailand’s busiest tourist airports.

“The only runway at Phuket Airport is closed after a landing incident involving Air India Express flight #IX938 (Boeing 737 MAX 8 with registration VT-BWQ). The aircraft landed at 04:24 UTC and pictures in social media show the aircraft on the runway with it’s front landing gear damaged.”

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