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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| Two aircraft collide at Heathrow | Two aircraft collide at Heathrow |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Two airliners have been involved in a collision while taxiing at Heathrow airport in west London. | Two airliners have been involved in a collision while taxiing at Heathrow airport in west London. |
| One was a British Airways Boeing 747 departing for Singapore and the other was a Sri Lankan Airlines Airbus A340. | One was a British Airways Boeing 747 departing for Singapore and the other was a Sri Lankan Airlines Airbus A340. |
| Heathrow's operator, BAA, confirmed there had been an incident at around 2220 BST and that there were no reported injuries. | Heathrow's operator, BAA, confirmed there had been an incident at around 2220 BST and that there were no reported injuries. |
| BA said there had been a "minor collision" involving flight BA011 and an investigation has started. | BA said there had been a "minor collision" involving flight BA011 and an investigation has started. |
| Investigation launched | Investigation launched |
| A BAA spokesman said: "Heathrow airport can confirm that two aircraft were involved in an incident earlier this evening on the ground. | A BAA spokesman said: "Heathrow airport can confirm that two aircraft were involved in an incident earlier this evening on the ground. |
| "There are no reported injuries." | "There are no reported injuries." |
| A spokeswoman for Sri Lankan Airlines said the "minor incident" involved flight UL502 to Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, via the Maldives, which had 286 passengers and crew on board. | |
| She said: "It is reported that the wing tips of the two aircraft brushed against each other while taxiing. | |
| "No injuries were reported. All passengers have been transferred to city hotels until alternate travel arrangements are made during the course of the day." | |
| An eye-witness, aboard the Sri Lankan airliner, claimed it hit the BA aircraft from behind while manoeuvring on the runway. | An eye-witness, aboard the Sri Lankan airliner, claimed it hit the BA aircraft from behind while manoeuvring on the runway. |
| "We turned our wing, almost hit what looked like the tail end of the British Airways flight, and we ended up chopping off a bit of wing. It cut through it like butter," said Danish journalist Annasofie Flamand. | "We turned our wing, almost hit what looked like the tail end of the British Airways flight, and we ended up chopping off a bit of wing. It cut through it like butter," said Danish journalist Annasofie Flamand. |
| "It's pretty incredible to see something like that in a place like Heathrow airport. Thank God it was on the ground and not in the air." | "It's pretty incredible to see something like that in a place like Heathrow airport. Thank God it was on the ground and not in the air." |
| Next flight | Next flight |
| The BA spokesman added: "Engineers are inspecting the aircraft to ascertain the damage. | The BA spokesman added: "Engineers are inspecting the aircraft to ascertain the damage. |
| "We do not have any more precise details of the collision while it is being investigated." | "We do not have any more precise details of the collision while it is being investigated." |
| He said passengers would either be given the option of a refund or spend the night in a hotel before leaving on the next available flight. | He said passengers would either be given the option of a refund or spend the night in a hotel before leaving on the next available flight. |
| The London Fire Brigade said it was alerted at 2213, although its crews had been stood down by 2228. | The London Fire Brigade said it was alerted at 2213, although its crews had been stood down by 2228. |
| A spokesman for the London Ambulance service said: "We were called to the airport at about 2220 BST, but we were stood down around 10 minutes later as there were no injuries." | A spokesman for the London Ambulance service said: "We were called to the airport at about 2220 BST, but we were stood down around 10 minutes later as there were no injuries." |