Flights at Liberia’s main international airport were temporarily halted on Thursday night after President Joseph Boakai’s private jet experienced a malfunction while landing, prompting safety concerns and an immediate investigation.
The near-accident occurred at Roberts International Airport (RIA) as President Boakai returned from an official trip to Nigeria. According to airport authorities, part of the aircraft’s landing gear failed during the final approach, resulting in a rough touchdown that stranded the plane on the runway.
Panic reportedly spread across the airport as news of the incident broke, with local media confirming that all scheduled flights were cancelled for the rest of the night. Authorities swiftly moved to secure the runway and evacuate the president and his entourage, none of whom were injured.
Images of the jet immobilised on the tarmac quickly circulated on social media, raising public concern over the president’s wellbeing. One of the aircraft’s tyres is believed to have burst upon landing, according to officials cited by local outlets.
In a statement issued shortly after the incident, the Liberia Airport Authority (LAA) confirmed what it described as an “unfortunate near-accident situation” but emphasized that the airport’s runway infrastructure was not to blame.
“The runway infrastructure remains fully compliant with international aviation safety standards,” the LAA stated. “At this stage, investigation to establish the actual cause of the incident is ongoing, and the airport authority will keep the public informed.”
By early Friday, the aircraft had been removed from the runway and normal operations had resumed at RIA. No significant damage to airport facilities was reported.
While the Liberian presidency has not released an official statement on the incident, photos shared on its official social media channels showed President Boakai walking across the tarmac upon arrival. He briefly addressed journalists at the airport but did not comment on the landing mishap.
Boakai had been in Nigeria to attend the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a regional bloc focused on economic and political cooperation.
The incident has prompted renewed attention to aviation safety in Liberia, with many awaiting the outcome of the ongoing investigation.
