There were no injuries and passengers returned to Brazil in the early hours of Thursday (23)
A Latam Airlines plane collided on Wednesday (22) with an Aerolíneas Argentinas aircraft on the runway at Arturo Merino Benítez Airport, in Santiago, Chile. The flight was destination São Paulo International Airportin Guarulhos. There were no injuries.
In a statement, the Latam Airlines Group reported that the accident occurred during taxiing the plane before takeoff. The airline said the aircraft had slight damage to one of the wings and the passengers were relocated on a flight that left for Guarulhos at 1:29 am (Brasília time) this Thursday (23).
In an interview with ADN Radiofrom Chile, a passenger on the Latam flight said that, shortly before the impact, other occupants noticed an unusual proximity to the Aerolíneas Argentinas aircraft. “It could have been more serious, because if it had happened when the plane was gaining speed, it could have been much worse,” he said.
To the Argentine newspaper The NationAerolíneas Argentinas said that or plane involved in the accident was taken out of service. Or impact damaged the stabilizer bar of the Boeing 737. The passengers were allocated to a Sky Airline flight who left for Buenos Aires, Argentina, in the early hours of this Thursday.
After the accident, Chile’s General Directorate of Civil Aeronautics (DGAC) said that will investigate the circumstances of the aircraft collision.
Read the full Latam note
“The LATAM Airlines Group informs that, during the taxiing of the aircraft on flight LA756 (Santiago–São Paulo/Guarulhos), on Wednesday (22/4), there was contact with an Aerolíneas Argentinas aircraft positioned on the runway, which caused slight damage to one of its wings.”
“As part of the protocol, all LATAM passengers were disembarked in complete safety and relocated to a new flight that took off at 00:29 (local time) on 4/23 (Thursday).”
“The company has activated all security protocols provided for this type of incident and is investigating the case in coordination with the competent authorities.”
“Finally, it reaffirms that security is a non-negotiable value and all its operational decisions are made in accordance with this principle.”
