News / National
Air Zimbabwe in mid-air scare, passengers shout Prophet Magaya's name
12 Jul 2015 at 09:03hrs | Views
ABOUT 50 passengers on Tuesday morning had a scare after an Air Zimbabwe plane made a mid-air U-turn while on its way to Bulawayo enroute to Victoria Falls, after it developed a mechanical fault.
The MA60 left a number of tourists in the resort town and other passengers in Bulawayo stranded. Reports say some scared passengers shouted Prophet Walter Magaya's name, asking for divine intervention when the announcement was made from the cockpit about the mishap and the imminent about turn to the capital.
The pilots were forced to turn back after about 20 minutes when one of the plane's front left wheel doors reportedly failed to close.
The plane was scheduled to drop and pick up passengers in Bulawayo enroute to the resort town of Victoria Falls.
In Victoria Falls, reports said tourists, who intended to travel to Harare to get their connecting flights around the world, were also stranded and tourism players had a torrid time as they were forced to cater for them.
However, according to passengers, who were on the plane, the MA60 landed safely in Harare where it was taken to the hangar for repairs. Air Zimbabwe was forced to book passengers into Rainbow Towers Hotel for Wednesday morning's flight.
They were later flown by a Boeing 737 which was brought in as a replacement on Wednesday morning with indications that the MA60 was still in the hangar being attended to.
Air Zimbabwe bought two Arc 60 (MA60) passenger planes in 2004 and reportedly got a third one for free from Chinese aircraft manufacturer, CATIC.
The MA60 left a number of tourists in the resort town and other passengers in Bulawayo stranded. Reports say some scared passengers shouted Prophet Walter Magaya's name, asking for divine intervention when the announcement was made from the cockpit about the mishap and the imminent about turn to the capital.
The pilots were forced to turn back after about 20 minutes when one of the plane's front left wheel doors reportedly failed to close.
The plane was scheduled to drop and pick up passengers in Bulawayo enroute to the resort town of Victoria Falls.
In Victoria Falls, reports said tourists, who intended to travel to Harare to get their connecting flights around the world, were also stranded and tourism players had a torrid time as they were forced to cater for them.
However, according to passengers, who were on the plane, the MA60 landed safely in Harare where it was taken to the hangar for repairs. Air Zimbabwe was forced to book passengers into Rainbow Towers Hotel for Wednesday morning's flight.
They were later flown by a Boeing 737 which was brought in as a replacement on Wednesday morning with indications that the MA60 was still in the hangar being attended to.
Air Zimbabwe bought two Arc 60 (MA60) passenger planes in 2004 and reportedly got a third one for free from Chinese aircraft manufacturer, CATIC.
Source - sundaynews
