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A MALAYSIAN JET carrying 139 people aborted its takeoff and skidded into mud, forcing Kathmandu airport to shut down for more than 12 hours until the plane was moved today.
Nobody was hurt in the incident but hundreds of passengers had flights cancelled and all incoming flights were diverted after the Malindo Airlines Boeing 737 went off the runway late yesterday.
The jet was speeding down the Tribhuvan International Airport runway when the pilots detected a problem and aborted takeoff, airport spokesman Prem Nath Thakur said. The jet skidded into grass and came to a halt in mud about 100 feet (30 metres) from the runway.
“All aboard are safe,” Thakur said, adding that the cause of the problem was not immediately known.
Nepal’s only international airport reopened again just before midday local time (around 7am Irish time) after the jet was “removed without any damage”, Thakur added.
‘Stuck in the mud’
American traveller Sarah Ann Loreth, heading to Doha before returning to her home in Boston, spent hours on a plane after the emergency.
“We were supposed to take off on Thursday but couldn’t because of the Malaysia flight,” she told AFP.
“Around 2am the flight attendant informed us the other flight had slipped off the runway and was stuck in the mud and could not be moved.
They deplaned us around 2.30am and it was pure chaos. We went back to the terminal and they had our bags laid out behind the counter and we just went behind and grabbed them.
Cars eventually took the passengers to hotels to wait for a reorganised flight, Loreth said.
The incident came one month after the crash of a US-Bangla Airways plane at Kathmandu airport, which killed 51 people.
In March 2015, a Turkish Airlines jet skidded off the runway as it landed, forcing Tribhuvan Airport to close for four days.
The Himalayan nation has some of the world’s most remote and tricky runways, flanked by snow-capped peaks with approaches that pose a challenge even for accomplished pilots.
Nepal has a poor air safety record. Accidents are common and Nepal-based airlines are banned from flying in European Union airspace.
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Amazing achievement. Congratulations Saoirse!
@Smidgen Dublin: it’s a great achievement for her alright but a horrible category this year.. Scarlett Johansson gave an acting tour de force in marriage story, can’t see anyone other than her winning. But, to be nominated is still amazing.
@Peter Cavey: Scarlett deserves to win, but Any Hollywood biopic nominee always gets it so it’ll be Renee
Delighted for her.
A great achievement to have so many nominations at such a young age. She comes across as really down to earth and likeable and represents Ireland well.
Just waiting for all the usual begrudgers to start commenting on her accent…
@Daragh Cassidy: in fairness its you that’s starting it.
@Daragh Cassidy: yeah what is the craic with the accent? Seeing as you mentioned it.
@Daragh Cassidy: Last sentence is your true agenda. Rest of it is filler to get you to said agenda.
Just how little were these women?
I assumed they were all under 5 feet – but I was wrong apparently!!!
Great actress but OMG ladybird was sooooo overhyped ….. sheeyte to be honest .
@Camacsaint: little women is worse. Daytime tv.
@alan: chick flick
Was gobmsacked to learn Bela from Fair City is her Father. Some family of actors. Well done Saoirse.
@Marbles: No hes not it’s another fella from fair city
@Marbles: you’ll need to fact check that one Marbles …
@Marbles: hes not
@Marbles:
I’m sure her real father would be even more shocked!
@Marbles: her father plays Anto Collins in Fair City
@Marbles: Paul Ronan’s acting career started in TV and films since the mid-’90s, notably as Edso Dowling in the Ballykissangel TV series; other TV appearances include Rebel Heart and The Tudors. But yes he did a role as Anto in Fair City a few years back. His most notable achievement along with his wife Monica, was mentoring, nurturing and developing a most fantastic young lady Saoirse.
@Marbles: stay out of the research industry
@Marbles: Best laugh so far this year. I hear Fr Michael Clearly was Donald Trumps third cousin. You might fact check that there Marbles. Gas ticket.
@Charles McCarthy: As they say, don’t ever meet your heroes, you’ll be dissapointed.
The Oscars? Yawn.
Hope she wins it.
@Pat O’Leary: couldn’t give a s**t.Her wiining won’t butter my parsnips.
Joker deserves to clean up including best actor Oscar for JP
Some achievement well done on a side note can’t see Joaquin Phoenix getting best actor after his rambling expletive laden speech at the Golden Globes .
@Bass demon: That’d be a shame. Incredible film. The cinematography was superb too.
@Bass demon: they don’t vote on best or worst acceptance speeches -which is just as well or half the oscars won would be taken back by now – he will win it because the acting in the Joker was great – he just owned the screen and would be a worthy winner in my opinion
@Dave Hammond: Not saying he isn’t worthy of it but with these PC laden shows they like the winner to keep it simple and thank God and their mother. However he might pull a Marlon Brando and send Greta Thunberg to accept the award.
@Dave Hammond: they reckon Mikey Rourke ruined his chances of an Oscar after his acceptance speech at either the Baftas or Golden Globes, can’t remember which
@Bass demon: Give him a script and he can make you believe anything. When he’s not acting he can’t string a sentence together.
Always the bridesmaid unfortunately. Not her fault….great actor
@Donnacha Bhoicaire: Don’t worry. She’ll get a Lifetime Achievement Oscar by the time she’s 35.
Fantastic to see 4 nods for Parasite – Bong Joon Ho is one of the greatest directors in the world in the last 15 years!
Great….not… saw her in an interview a few years ago… patronizing and annoying…
No nomination for De Niro?
@Cowboy Paddy: For what? Pesci can act DeNiro into a banbox.
@Cowboy Paddy: Thought Pacino stoke the show tbh, de Niro was de Niro and Pesci just stumbled thru it, have to say Joker 9 nominations!!! Thought it was a pile of shite…most left cinema with me said it was crap.
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