Africa-Press – Liberia. A private jet that brought in President Joseph Nyuma Boakai and his delegation from the 50th anniversary celebration of ECOWAS suffered a frightening near-crash landing at Roberts International Airport (RIA) on Thursday, prompting widespread flight cancellations and throwing the airport into operational disarray.
The incident occurred when the aircraft, returning from an official visit to Nigeria, experienced a tire burst upon touchdown, leaving the jet immobilized in the middle of RIA’s only operational runway. Though no injuries were reported, the event sparked panic among passengers and forced a complete suspension of inbound and outbound flights.
International carriers including Kenya Airways and Air Peace, along with other scheduled operators, immediately canceled their Thursday night landings in Monrovia, citing safety concerns and the blocked runway. As of late Thursday evening, there was no confirmed timeline for the removal of the stranded aircraft, leaving hundreds of passengers and logistics operations in limbo.
Airport sources confirmed the private aircraft abruptly halted mid-runway after the tire burst. “The aircraft came to a complete stop and could not move any further,” an RIA insider disclosed under anonymity. “It caused a scare among passengers, including the President’s team.”
Emergency protocols were swiftly activated. President Boakai was escorted from the aircraft by his official motorcade, while members of his entourage were shuttled away from the runway in airport transport vehicles.
In an official statement, the Roberts International Airport Management acknowledged the severity of the incident and pointed to infrastructure degradation, including runway potholes, as a likely contributing factor.
“We are aware that one of the aircraft’s tires burst upon landing, prompting a precautionary stop on the runway,” the statement read. “Preliminary investigations suggest that the poor state of the runway, specifically the presence of potholes, may have contributed to the malfunction.”
RIA management accepted full responsibility and pledged immediate action to repair and maintain the runway.
“We assure the public that we are working around the clock to resolve this issue. The safety of our passengers and aircraft is our top priority,” the statement continued. “We deeply regret the inconvenience caused to the President, his delegation, and all affected airlines and travelers.”
The LAA issued a statement Thursday night, refuting reports that all Thursday night operations, including inbound and outbound flights were suspended.
The management said, “Flight operations at the Airport have officially resumed following a temporary suspension caused by a runway incident involving a private jet carrying President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr.”
According to the Liberia Airport Authority (LAA), the jet suffered a tire burst while landing Thursday evening, rendering the aircraft immobile on the runway and forcing airport authorities to cancel all scheduled flights for the night.
Emergency response teams, supported by aviation technical personnel, were immediately deployed to the scene.
The aircraft has since been removed from the active section of the runway, allowing normal airport operations to continue.
“All passengers onboard, including President Boakai and other occupants, were safely evacuated without injury, by established airport emergency procedures,” the authority said. “The safety of passengers, crew, and airport personnel is always our highest priority.”
“We commend the professionalism and swift coordination of our emergency teams.”
Amid public speculation on the cause of the incident, the LAA dismissed claims that the tire burst was the result of poor runway infrastructure.
The Authority reaffirmed that RIA’s runway remains structurally sound and in full compliance with international aviation safety standards.
“The incident was caused solely by a mechanical failure involving the aircraft’s tire and not due to any structural defect of the runway,” the LAA clarified.
The Authority further assured travelers and stakeholders of its unwavering commitment to transparency, safety, and the continuous improvement of airport operations.
As flight services return to normal, LAA lauded the public for their patience and cooperation and pledged to provide further updates if necessary.
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