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Dhaka: Jet Airways plane skids off runway, passengers safe

August 17, 2009 12:47 IST
A Delhi-bound Jet Airways aircraft carrying 139 persons skidded off a runway just before its take off from the Bangladesh capital on Monday, but no one was hurt in the accident.

The Boeing-737 aircraft of India's private Jet Airways skidded the runway by over three meters at Dhaka's Zia International Airport just ahead of its take-off.

However, all 139 persons onboard the aircraft were safe, officials said in Dhaka.

"The aircraft skidded off the runway just before take-off but there was no incident of casualty and all passengers and crew are safe," Bangladesh Civil Aviation Authority Chairman Air Commodore Saked Iqbal Khan Majlis told PTI.

He said the passengers were immediately evacuated from the aircraft while an airforce contingent joined the rescue operation along with civil aviation workers of Biman Bangladesh Airlines and Jet airways Engineers.

"It may take another four hours to salvage the aircraft," Majlis said.

Airport officials said all scheduled foreign and local flights were suspended following the accident and an investigation was ordered immediately.

The incident happened around 10.40 am local time

Anisur Rahman in Dhaka
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