Heathrow planes collide before take-off
Tuesday, 16 Oct 2007 06:30
A British Airways Boeing and a Sri Lankan Airlines Airbus bumped into each other while taxiing on a runway
An investigation has been launched after two planes, preparing to take off at Heathrow airport yesterday night, collided.
A spokesperson for airport operator BAA confirmed that a collision had taken place while the two planes were taxiing on a runway, adding that no one had been injured in the incident.
The two aircraft concerned were a British Airways (BA) Boeing, heading to Singapore, and a Sri Lankan Airlines Airbus.
A spokesperson for the airport authority said a "minor collision" had taken place "on the taxiways".
The source added: "Engineers are inspecting the aircraft to ascertain the damage. The passengers have been offloaded and returned to the terminal building.
"We do not have any more precise details of the collision while it is being investigated."
The spokesperson stated that passengers on the affected flights had been offered accommodation at a hotel or a refund and a place on the next available flight to their destinations.
A passenger on the Sri Lankan Airlines flight, Annasofie Flamand, told the BBC that the mishap occurred when the BA plane was hit from behind by the foreign carrier. She said she was amazed by the incident and was grateful that it took place on the ground.
The London Fire Brigade said it was informed about the incident at 22:13 BST, adding that its services were not required by 22:28 BST.
A London Ambulance service spokesperson said: "We were called to the airport at about 22:20 BST, but we were stood down around 10 minutes later as there were no injuries."