Air Botswana boss downplays emergency landing

Managing Director of Air Botswana Dahwa briefing the Media
Managing Director of Air Botswana Dahwa briefing the Media

Air Botswana (AB) has downplayed a Tuesday incident in which its Johannesburg bound aircraft was forced to land at Sir Seretse Khama International Airport just 20 minutes after take off. The aircraft carrying 25 passengers was forced to return after one of the crew members noticed fire sparks coming from one of the engines.

“We are still investigating the incident but we can confirm that one of our crew members noticed fire in the left engine of the aircraft. As per procedure, she shut down the engine and the aircraft safely flew back to our airport,” said AB general manager Ben Dahwa, addressing journalists yesterday.

“Its not an unusual event in the operations of an airline, although it is not preferred. There is nothing to panic about. We will make sure that it doesn’t occur again,” he said. Dahwa noted that although the airline has an ageing fleet, its safety and maintenance procedures are up to international standards, which has earned it respect and recognition from international aviation organisations.

Editor's Comment
Be careful on the road this festive season

Over the past weekend in Greater Gaborone, four people tragically lost their lives in separate accidents, a stark reminder of how vulnerable we are on the roads, especially during this busy time of year.The accidents, which claimed the lives of three pedestrians and one driver, paint a grim picture of the dangers faced by everyone on the road, not just motorists but also pedestrians. In one case, a young man was fatally struck by a truck whilst...

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