Senegal airport reopens after Boeing plane catches fire and skids

Senegal's Blaise Diagne airport outside the capital, Dakar, reopened on Thursday, hours after 11 people were injured when a Boeing plane headed for Malian capital Bamako left the runway, airport operator LAS said.

"We inform you that Blaise Diagne international airport has reopened. Airport operations have resumed as normal," LAS stated.

The B737/300 aircraft, an Air Senegal flight chartered by privately-owned Transair, came off the runway during takeoff, leaving four passengers seriously hurt.

Footage from a passenger showed the aircraft on fire, AP news agency reports. The plane was carrying 79 passengers, two pilots and four cabin crew.

Wing damaged

The Aviation Safety Network, which tracks airline accidents, published photos of the damaged plane in a grassy field surrounded by fire suppressant foam on X, formerly known as Twitter.

One engine appeared to have broken apart and a wing was also damaged, according to the photos.

The aircraft has been "immobilised" away from the runway and the emergency plan was triggered by airport authorities as soon as they were alerted, LAS said.

An investigation has already been opened to establish the cause of the incident, it said.

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