Lao Airlines has issued a statement regarding its plane that lost a wheel while landing on Saturday afternoon.
The ATR 72-500 plane was flying from Luang Prabang to Vientiane Capital with 41 passengers and six flight attendants when it encountered bad weather.
Storms caused strong winds, with the weather worsening as the plane touched down. A statement issued by Lao Airlines suggests that wind shear may have thrown the plane off balance, causing damage to the right wheel at the front, which then fell off.
Despite the incident, the plane was able land safely with all passengers and crew unharmed.
Lao Airlines has said that the incident occurred due to extraordinary weather circumstances and could not have been prevented. The flagship carrier also added that the plane was in good technical condition before the flight.
Lao Airlines has been flying since 1976 and has a good safety record. The airline has passed the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) every year since 2016. The IOSA is a safety audit program conducted by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Lao Airlines also said that the safety of its passengers is its top priority. The airline is investigating the incident and will take any necessary steps to prevent something similar from happening in the future.
