Femi Ashekun/
Flights at Liberia’s Roberts International Airport (RIA) were thrown into chaos yesterday night as President Joseph Boakai’s private jet narrowly avoided a catastrophic crash during landing.
The presidential aircraft, returning from Nigeria, suffered a critical landing gear malfunction, leading to a harrowing touchdown that left passengers and airport onlookers in shock.
Airport authorities confirmed that the jet’s landing gear failure caused a violent descent, with a burst tire exacerbating the ordeal as the aircraft skidded to an abrupt halt on the runway.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic, as emergency teams rushed to evacuate the president and his entourage from the plane. Fortunately, President Boakai emerged unscathed, though visibly shaken, sparking relief among the gathered crowd.
The incident prompted the cancellation of all scheduled flights at RIA, stranding dozens of passengers overnight.
Images of the immobilised presidential jet quickly surfaced on social media, igniting widespread concern over the safety of the president and the state of Liberia’s aviation infrastructure.
The Liberia Airport Authority (LAA) swiftly issued a statement, describing the ordeal as an “unfortunate near-accident situation.” The authority categorically denied speculation that the incident was linked to subpar runway conditions, insisting the airport’s facilities meet international aviation safety standards.
“The runway infrastructure remains fully compliant,” the LAA affirmed. The agency confirmed that the aircraft was successfully removed from the runway, and normal operations resumed after thorough safety checks.
A formal investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the malfunction. Aviation experts are reportedly scrutinising the jet’s mechanical systems and reviewing its maintenance history.
Meanwhile, the Liberian presidency has remained tight-lipped about the incident, releasing only photos of Boakai’s arrival at the airport, where he briefly addressed reporters but avoided discussing the scare.
President Boakai had been returning from Nigeria, where he attended the 50th-anniversary celebrations of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The near-tragedy has sparked debate over the safety of presidential travel arrangements and the readiness of emergency response systems at Liberia’s main airport.
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