A private jet carrying President Joseph Boakai experienced a landing malfunction Thursday night, causing a brief disruption of flights at Liberia’s main airport.
There was reportedly panic on board when one of the plane’s tires burst during landing. Thankfully, none of the passengers were injured when President Boakai disembarked.
President Boakai and his delegation had returned to Liberia on the same private jet that took them to Nigeria. The plane landed but came to a sudden stop halfway down the runway. President Boakai was swiftly evacuated by his motorcade when it became clear the plane could no longer proceed, and authorities launched an investigation. Later, an airport shuttle was used to transport his delegation.
Photos of the plane at Roberts International Airport (RIA) went viral on social media, raising concerns about the President’s security.
The Liberia Airport Authority (LAA) acknowledged the “unfortunate near-accident” involving the presidential jet in a statement. However, the authority denied allegations that the incident was partly caused by poor runway conditions.
“The incident was caused solely by a mechanical failure involving the aircraft’s tire and not due to any structural defect of the runway,” the statement said. The LAA reiterated its commitment to safety, transparency, and continuous improvement.
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