An Air Canada flight erupted in flames during a runway landing in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the same night as a deadly South Korean plane crash and another aircraft mishap in Norway. The series of incidents highlighted a night of aviation crises that left passengers and authorities reeling.
The Air Canada flight, traveling from St. John’s to Halifax, encountered trouble when one of its tires failed to deploy. The malfunction caused the plane to skid along the runway at a 20-degree angle, igniting sparks and flames on the aircraft’s left wing. Video shared on social media captured the moment the wing erupted into fire, while passengers inside held on as the cabin shook violently, with smoke seeping through the windows.
“The plane started to sit at about a 20-degree angle to the left, and we heard a loud crash sound as the wing skidded along the pavement,” passenger Nikki Valentine told CBC News. Despite the harrowing landing, no fatalities or major injuries were reported among the 73 passengers and crew.
Halifax Stanfield International Airport temporarily closed as emergency crews handled the aftermath. The aircraft was evacuated, and passengers were transported to the terminal by bus. Authorities confirmed that an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the malfunction.
On the same night, in Norway, a KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Boeing 737-800 suffered a hydraulic system failure shortly after departing Oslo Airport for Amsterdam. The flight, carrying 182 passengers, was forced to divert to Sandefjord Torp Airport for an emergency landing. The aircraft skidded off the runway, coming to a stop in a grassy area. All passengers were safely evacuated, and no injuries were reported.
Both incidents occurred just hours after a catastrophic plane crash in South Korea, where a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 went down at Muan International Airport. The aircraft’s landing gear failed, causing it to crash on its belly, veer off the runway, and explode in a fireball. The jet was carrying 181 passengers and crew from Bangkok, Thailand, to the southwestern city of Muan.
Authorities have confirmed 167 fatalities, with two survivors rescued from the wreckage. The death toll is expected to rise as emergency crews continue recovery efforts. Families of the victims have gathered at the airport as the nation mourns one of its worst aviation disasters in decades.
Investigations are ongoing into all three incidents as the aviation industry grapples with the night’s tragedies.
