Biman flight from Dubai escapes crash in Sylhet

A Dhaka-bound flight of Biman from Dubai has escaped a fatal accident. The Biman plane which arrived in Sylhet from Dubai narrowly averted a major accident on Saturday morning when a bird entered one of the engines of the aircraft immediately after its landing. None was injured. Osmani International Airport authorities said an engine of Flight BG025 went inoperative as a bird entered the aircraft when it landed at the runway of the airport at about 7:15am (Bangladesh Standard Time). Officials said four blades of the engine under the right wing of the aero-plane developed cracks when it collided with the bird, making the plane inoperative. However, all passengers and members of the crew of the Flight BG025 alighted from the aircraft safely. The fight was supposed to leave Osmani International Airport for Hazrat Shahjalal (R) International Airport in Dhaka after a 30-minute stopover in Sylhet. It was carrying 39 Dhaka-bound passengers from Dubai when it met the accident. In all, the flight was supposed to carry 58 passengers to the capital from Sylhet. Nineteen other Dhaka-bound passengers from Sylhet were about to board the wide-bodied aircraft half an hour later but the flight had to be cancelled following the incident. Manager of CAAB, Sylhet, Md. Hafiz Ahmed said the 58 passengers were sent to Dhaka by a another aircraft of Biman. He said a technical team from Dhaka reached Sylhet and started repairing the aircraft’s damaged engine. A reliable source closed to the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh, Sylhet, said the bird shooter of the airport was absent at the airport during landing of the flight. It said Bird Shooter – Selim Uddin – was on duty during landing of the BG025 flight. But he was not performing his duty at that time. CAAB, Sylhet, Manager Hafiz Ahmed said the passengers left Osmani Airport safely for Dhaka by a separate flight. After an enquiry, the errant employee of the airport would be booked, he added.

- mbz