the essential
A cargo plane left the runway at Montpellier airport and ended up in a pond overnight from Friday to Saturday. The airport is closed until further notice. What do we know at this stage about the accident?
A Boeing ‘noses’ into a pond. The images are spectacular. The accident occurred overnight from Friday to Saturday at Montpellier-Méditerranée airport. The accident caused no injuries. The Bureau of Investigations and Analysis is in charge of the investigation.
What happened ?
At 2:50 am, on the night of Friday to this Saturday, the Boeing 737 freighter which had taken off from Roissy-Charles de Gaulle around 1:00 am, landed at Montpellier airport. Once on the ground, he was unable to stop in time as planned on the track and ended his race in the Etang de l’Or located at the end of the track in the town of Maugio.
What is the human toll?
Three people were on board, including two pilots of foreign nationality. They were uninjured and were able to exit the rear of the aircraft. The Hérault prefecture nevertheless indicates that they had to be extricated. About sixty firefighters, the SAMU and the airport teams intervened.
What was the weather like?
When the plane landed in Montpellier, heavy rainfall was hitting Languedoc. In Marsillargues, located on the other side of the pond, 88 mm of precipitation fell in 24 hours on Friday, according to Météo France. Last night the tracks were soggy.
The rainy-stormy front has left the Aude and currently concerns the Hérault with often hourly accumulations of around 20-25mm and a maximum for the moment of 47mm in Soumont in less than 2 hours.. pic.twitter.com/7RKHbaxzqm
– Meteo-France South-East (@MeteoFrance_SE) https://twitter.com/MeteoFrance_SE/status/1573451316806176768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
What was the plane carrying?
The Boeing 737 transported mail for the Post Office. The flight was chartered by the West Atlantic airline, which specializes in cargo. It performs this rotation every night between Paris and Montpellier.
What is the company?
West Atlantic is a holding company that owns two cargo airlines: West Air Sweden and Atlantic Airlines. Created in 2011 and based in Sweden, it is the largest freight company in Europe. La Poste has been using its services since January 1, 2016 instead of its incumbent operator ASL Airlines France. West Atlantic has agreements with other mail giants: Chronopost, TNT, UPS, DHL or Royal Mail, according to its website. In 2018, the company was suspected of not paying the social security contributions of its employees in France. The Aix-en-Provence prosecutor’s office had opened a preliminary investigation for “aggravated concealed work”.
Is Montpellier airport dangerous?
Montpellier airport is not considered dangerous for pilots although the end of the runways adjoins the Etang de l’Or in Maugio and the Mediterranean Sea.
Montpellier airport is located at the water’s edge.
Google Capture
How will the investigation unfold?
The Bureau of Investigations and Analysis for Civil Protection is responsible for conducting the investigation to determine the circumstances and reasons for the runway excursion. Four BEA agents went to Montpellier this Saturday morning.
Why is Montpellier airport closed?
The Hérault prefecture explains that Montpellier airport is closed for an indefinite period to commercial flights and freight flights, as a security measure, while the plane can be moved. 21 commercial flights were scheduled to depart and arrive this Saturday, September 24. The passengers are diverted to Marseilles then transported by bus to Montpellier.
Closure of Montpellier airport until further notice: a technical incident prevents operations from proceeding normally. We invite passengers and their companions not to go to the airport. Thank you for your understanding. https://t.co/ScpB6U8zlp pic.twitter.com/OmmmHRUVqg
— Montpellier Airport (@MPLaeroport) https://twitter.com/MPLaeroport/status/1573563136279744512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
What will become of the Boeing 737?
A specialized company will intervene to move the submerged device in the pond for its front part. The Boeing 737 will be scrutinized by BEA investigators. In the meantime, West Atlantic will have to mobilize another aircraft to carry out the airmail mission entrusted to it by La Poste.
