1. Myanmar military aircraft skids off the runway and crashes at Lengpui airport near Aizawl.
2. Eight individuals suffer injuries in the incident.
3. The aircraft, intended to pick up Myanmar soldiers who fled to Mizoram, experienced a mishap after a successful landing.
Aizwal, Jan 23: At least 8 persons sustained injuries when a Myanmar military aircraft skidded off the runway and crashed in Lengpui airport near Aizawl on Tuesday, an official said.
The Myanmarese aircraft came to pick up the Myanmarese soldiers, who fled to Mizoram last week, he said.
The incident occurred at 10:20 am on Tuesday after the military aircraft had successfully landed at the airport, he said.
14 crew members, including the pilot, were on board the plane, he said.
“After successfully landing at the airport, the plane skidded off the runway while running and went into nearby bushes, “ the official of the aviation wing said.
He said that 8 persons, who sustained minor injuries were taken to Lengpui primary health centre for first aid.
Also Read: Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury Asserts Congress Won’t Contest Elections Alongside Mamata Banerjee
Although the cause of the accident is yet to be ascertained, it is believed to be an error on the part of the pilot or technical failure, he said.
He said that one of the two engines of the plane had malfunctioned.
The official also said that the airport was immediately closed and all scheduled flights were cancelled for Tuesday following the plane crash.
The Myanmar military aircraft, which crashed on Tuesday, came to pick up the remaining 92 Myanmarese soldiers, who fled to Mizoram last week after their camp was overrun by an ethnic insurgent group, that supports democracy in the neighbouring country.
On Monday, 184 Myanmarese soldiers were airlifted by Myanmar Air Force plane in two sorties from Lengpui airport to Sittwe port town in Myanmar’s Rakhine state.
The Myanmar Army personnel altogether 276 entered Bandukbanga village, located at the India-Myanmar-Bangladesh trijunction, in southernmost Mizoram’s Lawngtlai district with arms and ammunition on 17 January after their camp was overrun and captured by Arakan Army militants.
