Two people died in an accident last Friday. A TAP Air Portugal Airbus A320 collided with a motorcycle crossing the runway while landing.
The A320neo, owned by TAP, was on a scheduled flight TP1492 from Lisbon. After four hours of regular flight, he landed in the capital of Guinea, Conakry, and during landing, he collided with a motorcycle, which at that time was passing along the runway. A security guard and an airport employee on the motorcycle were killed.
The Portuguese flag carrier said it “deeply regrets” the incident last Friday and expressed its “sincere condolences” to the families and friends of the victims.
Photos posted on social media show the wreckage of the motorcycle after the crash, having been dragged down the runway by one of the Airbus’ engines.
When the plane touched the runway at a speed of 250 km/h, the motorcycle suddenly crossed its trajectory and was sucked into the right engine. Both driver and passenger died immediately.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Guinea launched an investigation into the tragic incident. The airport confirmed that the passenger was a security guard tasked with securing the airport’s perimeter.
“An investigation carried out by the Guinean Civil Aviation Authority (AGAC) with the support of the Department of Security and Protection (SOGEAC) is being conducted to ascertain the causes and responsibilities of the parties involved,” the airport said in a statement.
A spokesman for TAP confirmed: “All safety procedures were followed, but a collision could not be avoided. TAP is cooperating with local authorities in investigating the circumstances that led to this unfortunate situation.”