Entebbe Airport runway reopened after RwandAir plane accident

ENTEBE-UGANDA/NEWSDAY: Entebbe International Airport’s main runway (17/35) that had been closed off for incoming big carriers has been reopened. The runaway was closed off after a RwandAir aircraft CRJ9 flight number 464 veered off the main runway upon landing due to bad weather at about 5.31 am today Wednesday.

The flight had 44 passengers and 7 crew members who all disembarked safely from the plane. Following the incident, all incoming flights for big carriers were diverted to either Nairobi, Kenya or Juba, South Sudan. Some of the affected flights include Flydubai, Qatar Airways and Saudia that were diverted to Nairobi and Flyduabai which was diverted to Juba.

Since the incident, small and light aircraft have been landing on the alternate runway, 17/30. Vianney Luggya, the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority spokesperson says as of 5.30 pm, the main runway had been to resume receiving the big aircraft.

The incident comes three years after an Ethiopian Airlines aircraft, carrying 139 passengers, skidded off the main runway at Entebbe airport. The incident happened at 12:41 am on January 3, 2019 when the plane a Boeing 737-800, overshot the runway. All the passengers and flight crew disembarked safely but the incoming flights were affected by the incident.

Uganda currently has one international airport but the construction of another international airport in Hoima are in advanced stages while Entebbe airport is also undergoing expansion works.