BENTONG: A team from the Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) under the Transport Ministry has been deployed to Kathmandu in Nepal to investigate the Malindo Air Boeing 737 aircraft which skidded off the runway at Kathmandu airport, Nepal while about to take off to Kuala lumpur on Thursday night.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said he has ordered the team to investigate the cause of the incident and they are also working closely with the Nepalese government on the incident.
“I have ordered the team from the AAIB to investigate the cause of the incident.
“We are also following the aircraft international standard procedure and we would receive the preliminary report not less than a month’s time.
“As of now, we still don’t know the problem of the incident,” he said at the meet the people programme at Felda Kemasul here today.
Following the incident, Kathmandu airport was closed and incoming flights to Nepali capitals were diverted.
The jet was accelerating on the runway when the pilots aborted the takeoff after detecting a problem.
It skidded on the tarmac and and came to a stop in mud about 30 metres away from the runway.
It was reported that a total of 139 passengers on board the jet were unhurt.