A previous headline of this article incorrectly referred to a 'crash on the runway'. In fact, the plane hit another jet's wing whilst on the tarmac, and did not 'crash on the runway'. We are happy to clarify this and the headline has been amended accordingly.
Images show two passenger planes colliding by the runway at Heathrow Airport leading to emergency services racing to the scene.
Footage posted on social media shows a Virgin Atlantic plane’s wing touching a British Airways aircraft. The Virgin Boeing 787-9 plane had completed a flight and was being towed to a different part of the airfield with no passengers on board at the time of the incident, it is understood.
Virgin said it has launched an investigation into the collision. The aircraft has been taken out of service and engineering teams are performing maintenance checks on it, the airline added.
The British Airways aircraft was stationary at the time of the incident and is being assessed by engineering teams, the company said. BA said it has provided an alternative aircraft to “limit the impact on our customers”.
Airport worker dies 'after being sucked into aeroplane engine' in freak accident
A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson said: "One of our aircraft, whilst stationary at Heathrow earlier today, came into contact with another airline's jet, which was being towed from a stand at the time. Our aircraft is being assessed by our engineering teams and we have provided an alternative aircraft to limit the impact on our customers."
Photo show emergency services scrambling to the scene of the prang on the Heathrow taxiway at Terminal 3 of the west London airport. It is understood Virgin Atlantic’s flying programme has not been disrupted by the incident. The tow movement was provided by a ground handling company under contract by Virgin Atlantic.
Emergency services rushed to the scene at Heathrow Airport (Alex Whittles)A spokesman for British Airways said: "One of our aircraft, whilst stationary at Heathrow earlier today, was involved in a collision with another airline's jet, which was being towed from a stand at the time. Our aircraft is being assessed by our engineering teams and we have provided an alternative aircraft to limit the impact on our customers."
The accident has not disrupted Virgin's schedule of operations to and from the hub, the country's busiest airport, today as the Easter holidays come to an end. Twitter user Alex Whittles said: "Just witnessed a plane crash at Heathrow. A tug pushing back a Virgin 787, crashed the wing into a BA A350."
A Heathrow spokesperson told The Mirror: "We are working alongside emergency services and our airline partners in response to an incident involving two aircraft on the ground earlier today. At present, no passenger injuries have been reported and we do not anticipate there to be any ongoing impact to airport operations."
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
