The Civil Aviation Authority of Guinea is investigating the accident that occurred on Friday night between a TAP plane and a motorcycle on the runway at the Guinea-Conakry airport, in which the two occupants of the vehicle died.
“An investigation is being carried out by the Civil Aviation Authority of Guinea (AGAC), with the support of the Department of Security and Protection (SOGEAC), to investigate the causes and responsibilities of the parties involved,” reads one note from the airport. International Ahmed Sékou Touré posted on the social network Twitter.
According to this message, the accident occurred at 11:40 p.m. (local time) this Friday, when “flight TP1492 of the TAP Portugal company, originating in Lisbon, hit two individuals who were traveling on a motorcycle on the track.”
“The identified driver was a security agent, an employee of a company in charge of protecting the airport facilities,” says the text, expressing “the most sincere condolences to the bereaved families.”
In a statement released this morning, TAP reported that “flight TP1492 had an accident on landing at the Guinea-Conakry airport, when a motorcycle tried to cross the runway at that time, and the occupant of the vehicle lost his life.”
However, an official source from the company confirmed to the Portuguese agency that there were two fatalities in the accident.
“Passengers and crew are all fine,” he assured, stating that “all safety procedures were followed, but even so it was not possible to avoid the aforementioned accident.”
“TAP is naturally collaborating with the local authorities to investigate the circumstances that led to this unfortunate situation,” reads the statement from the Portuguese company, which “deeply regrets what happened” and offers “its deepest condolences” to the families of the victims.
The news portal Guineenews.org advances that the two security guards who were riding the motorcycle “were trying to cross the runway when they were sucked in by one of the engines of the aircraft that had just landed.”
According to him, “the tragedy and the opening of an investigation prevented the Portuguese company from boarding the passengers who had to leave for Lisbon.”
Source: TSF
