CLOSE CALL: American Airlines Flight 331 overruns runway in Jamaica

CMC Photo: American Airlines Flight 331 from Miami overruns the runway at the Norman Manley International Airport in Jamaica

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – An American Airlines flight with more than 150 passengers aboard overshot the runway at the Norman Manley International Airport while landing during a heavy rainstorm on Tuesday night. Officials said there were no fatalities, but 40 people were injured.

“The injured passengers have been taken to the Kingston Public Hospital,” Information Minister Daryl Vaz said, adding “there are no reports of fatalities.”

Eyewitnesses said that flight 331 skidded across a road at the airport and stopped at the edge of the Caribbean Sea. The plane’s fuselage was cracked, its right engine broke off from the impact and the left main landing gear collapsed.

In a brief statement, American Airlines said it was in direct contact with officials from the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration and was co-operating fully with the appropriate authorities.

“American Airlines will not speculate as to possible causes of the incident. At this point, no additional details can be confirmed,” the airline said.

The Boeing 737-800, which originated at Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., had taken off from Miami International Airport at 8:52 p.m and arrived in Kingston at 10:22 p.m. It was carrying 148 passengers and a crew of six, the airline said.

Vaz, who along with Transport and Works Minister Mike Henry and National Security Minister Dwight Nelson, were at the scene of the incident, told reporters that most of the passengers were nationals returning home for the Christmas season.

“The plane crashed and broke almost in front of me,” said a shaken Naomi Palmer who was in seat number D8.

“The pilot couldn’t stop the plane,” another passenger told reporters, while a third, Verona Hall, said, “The plane landed and people started clapping. We saw the lights of Kingston. Then all of a sudden we didn’t see the lights anymore.

“I looked through the window and I saw white lines, so I felt I was on the tarmac, but it was actually a rough touchdown. The plane broke and we began to smell fuel,” she said.

Many people who were at the airport to meet their loved ones coming in on the flight said they saw passengers emerging from the Customs hall bloodied and shaken.

Some of the injured passengers were placed under a permanent tent outside the arrival hall and were seen nursing their wounds with towels and shirts.

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8 Comments

  1. July 6, 2010

    I enjoyed reading your blog. Keep it that way.

  2. February 2, 2010

    What does it plan?

  3. Sadie May
    December 26, 2009

    God is to be praised for extending His hand of mercy. All who survived have have been given another chance for a new beginning. What will they do with it. What would you and I do If we were spared? Would we give God the glory or would we find something to complain about. Think on these things.

  4. limegrape
    December 24, 2009

    TO THE FAMILY OF THE PEOPLE THAT WAS INJURED I WISH THAT YOUR LOVE ONES GET BETTER

  5. Engras
    December 24, 2009

    They are now blaming the authorities for not closing the Airport durig such heavy rain because it can cause HYDROPLANING but I suppose it is not DA so they kept it open hence the result.

  6. zc
    December 23, 2009

    thank God life was speared.

  7. spirit
    December 23, 2009

    THANK GOD THAT NO ONE WAS KILLED AND I PRAY GOD FOR SPEEDY RECOVERY FOR THE INJURED.

  8. JB
    December 23, 2009

    thank God no one got seriously injured/died.

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