Monrovia, Liberia – Flights at Liberia’s main international airport were temporarily disrupted on Thursday night after a private jet carrying President Joseph Boakai experienced a landing gear malfunction during touchdown.
According to airport authorities, the presidential jet suffered a partial landing gear failure while approaching the runway at Roberts International Airport (RIA), resulting in a rough landing. One of the plane’s tyres reportedly burst, leaving the aircraft stranded on the runway.
The incident triggered panic among airport staff and passengers, leading to the cancellation of all scheduled flights for the night, local media reported.
President Boakai, who was returning from a visit to Nigeria where he attended the 50th anniversary of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), was safely evacuated along with his entourage. No injuries were reported.
Photos of the stalled jet circulated widely on social media, sparking public concern about the president’s safety. The Executive Mansion later shared images of President Boakai at the airport, where he briefly addressed journalists without commenting on the near-crash.
In an official statement, the Liberia Airport Authority (LAA) confirmed the “unfortunate near-accident situation” and announced that normal operations had resumed after the aircraft was removed from the runway. The LAA also dismissed speculation that poor runway conditions were to blame.
“The runway infrastructure remains fully compliant with international aviation safety standards,” the authority stated.
An investigation has been launched to determine the exact cause of the malfunction, with the LAA promising to keep the public informed of its findings.
As of now, the Liberian presidency has not released a formal statement regarding the incident.
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