Saudi plane makes emergency landing in Jeddah, Several injured

A Saudi Arabian Airlines Airbus A330 jet made an emergency landing in the western Red Sea city of Jeddah, injuring 53 people, aviation officials said on Tuesday.

The Saudia aircraft was travelling from the Muslim holy city of Medina to Dhaka with 151 people on board, but had to be diverted to Jeddah late Monday after it suffered a malfunction in the hydraulic system, the kingdom’s Aviation Investigation Bureau said.

Footage posted online showed the plane leaving a trail of flame along the runway as it skidded on its nose before screeching to a halt.

“The passengers were evacuated by emergency slides. 52 of them were slightly injured, while one female passenger suffered a fracture during the evacuation and is now receiving treatment,” AIB said in a statement.

“AIB has launched an investigation into this accident.”

Saudi airline plane made an emergency landing last night in Jeddah. Its front landing gear failed and the plane made this dramatic landing.
All safe in the end, no casualties. It was a flight full of Bangladeshis going to Dhaka. Close call indeed. pic.twitter.com/uiqwKlv8Uf

— Zaid Hamid (@ZaidZamanHamid) May 22, 2018

The aircraft circled over Jeddah for several hours as its landing gear failed to drop, forcing the captain to make the emergency landing, Saudi media reported.

In a similar incident in January 2014, a Saudi Arabian Airlines Boeing 767 jet made an emergency landing in Medina, injuring 29 people, according to the aviation authority.