A cargo plane made a “hard landing” at Halifax Stanfield International Airport on the morning of Wednesday, 7 November, closing the airport and causing delays for seafood shipments from the region.
A chartered Sky Lease Boeing 747 went off the runway at 5:05 a.m. The airport immediately activated its emergency plan, with airport emergency response teams being joined by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Halifax Regional Police, Halifax Fire and Emergency Department, and Emergency Health Services. Four crew members were taken to hospital for treatment of minor injuries. There were no fatalities. Damages were limited to the grassy area beside the runway and to the aircraft, which was sitting directly on the ground. Two of the plane's engines were visibly destroyed by the impact, the landing gear appeared to be torn off the plane and a wing partially separated from the fuselage. A small fire near the tail was quickly extinguished, while emergency crews dug a trench around the aircraft to contain any potential fuel spills.
The airport closed temporarily, which canceled and delayed flights from Halifax throughout the day.
The flight originated in Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. and was going to Halifax to pick up a shipment live lobster for delivery to Changsha, China. Sky Lease provides three charters a week for First Catch, a Chinese company shipping live product from the Canadian Maritimes to China.
The 747 is capable of carrying between 100,000 to 120,000 pounds of live lobster. Since the flight wasn’t loaded, no product was lost. An airport spokesperson said the cargo was taken to be held at the airport’s gateway facilities until a replacement flight was arranged.
Airports in Eastern Canada have added additional flights in recent months to accommodate more lobster shipments, the result of shfiting trade patterns caused by the ongoing trade war between the United States and China. In a tight air freight market, the loss of even one cargo plane will be a cause for concern to shippers.
Photo courtesy of CBC
