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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Belfast City Airport shut after emergency during landing | Belfast City Airport shut after emergency during landing |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| Emergency services attended the Aer Lingus plane at Belfast City Airport | Emergency services attended the Aer Lingus plane at Belfast City Airport |
| All flights in and out of Belfast City Airport have been cancelled on Sunday evening after an Aer Lingus plane suffered an emergency incident while landing during strong winds. | All flights in and out of Belfast City Airport have been cancelled on Sunday evening after an Aer Lingus plane suffered an emergency incident while landing during strong winds. |
| The plane had flown from Edinburgh to Belfast at about 16:00 GMT with four crew members but no passengers on board. | The plane had flown from Edinburgh to Belfast at about 16:00 GMT with four crew members but no passengers on board. |
| It appears the plane's nose wheel collapsed during landing, with pictures showing its nose resting on the runway tarmac. | |
| The crew were assessed at the scene by the emergency services as a precaution, but there were no reported injuries. | |
| The airport's runway has been shut and is not expected to reopen until Monday. | The airport's runway has been shut and is not expected to reopen until Monday. |
| 'Hard landing' | |
| The emergency incident happened to what was described as a "positioning flight", which was operated by Emerald Airlines on behalf of Aer Lingus. | |
| Emerald Airlines said the aircraft "experienced a hard landing upon arriving into Belfast City Airport due to adverse weather conditions". | Emerald Airlines said the aircraft "experienced a hard landing upon arriving into Belfast City Airport due to adverse weather conditions". |
| Strong winds had been forecast for Northern Ireland on Sunday and the Met Office had warned of disruption to road, rail, air, and ferry transport. | |
| When the plane landed the police, fire service and ambulance crews were immediately deployed to the airport. | |
| Four fire appliances and a number of specialist crew members were deployed to the runway | Four fire appliances and a number of specialist crew members were deployed to the runway |
| Fire Service Area Commander David Doherty said firefighters responded at 16:15 GMT after the airport "declared a full emergency". | Fire Service Area Commander David Doherty said firefighters responded at 16:15 GMT after the airport "declared a full emergency". |
| They sent several units as part of their expected response to an airport emergency, but he said firefighters did not have to take any immediate action. | They sent several units as part of their expected response to an airport emergency, but he said firefighters did not have to take any immediate action. |
| Their resources were quickly redeployed but some crews remained at the scene as a precaution, Mr Doherty added. | Their resources were quickly redeployed but some crews remained at the scene as a precaution, Mr Doherty added. |
| Belfast City Airport told passengers not to travel to the airport on Sunday evening due to the runway closure. | Belfast City Airport told passengers not to travel to the airport on Sunday evening due to the runway closure. |
| Instead it advised them to contact their airline. | |
| The live flight information section of its website is showing that several planes due to arrive on Sunday evening have been cancelled. | The live flight information section of its website is showing that several planes due to arrive on Sunday evening have been cancelled. |
| Earlier, at least four planes were diverted to Belfast International Airport, including flights from London City and Leeds Bradford. | Earlier, at least four planes were diverted to Belfast International Airport, including flights from London City and Leeds Bradford. |
| Belfast International Airport posted on social media just before 18:30 that it was "close to capacity" because of those diversions and its already heavier than usual schedule. | |
| It warned it was "limited in how many redirected flights we can take this evening". | It warned it was "limited in how many redirected flights we can take this evening". |
| A further five flights were diverted to Dublin Airport. | |
| Air accident inspectors deployed | Air accident inspectors deployed |
| The Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) is also assisting Belfast City Airport with the process of moving the damaged plane, according to the DAA's media relations manager Graeme McQueen. | |
| He told BBC News NI that "members of Dublin Airport's airfield operations team are currently travelling to Belfast with aircraft recovery equipment". | He told BBC News NI that "members of Dublin Airport's airfield operations team are currently travelling to Belfast with aircraft recovery equipment". |
| "We are happy to help our neighbouring airport," he added. | "We are happy to help our neighbouring airport," he added. |
| The Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) confirmed it has been notified of the emergency incident in Belfast. | |
| Its spokesperson said: "An investigation has been launched and a team of inspectors is being deployed to the site." | Its spokesperson said: "An investigation has been launched and a team of inspectors is being deployed to the site." |