American Airlines flight makes emergency landing in Barbados after takeoff incident

An American Airlines flight bound for Miami was forced to make an emergency landing at the airport on Tuesday morning after one of its tyres blew out shortly after takeoff, airport officials confirmed.

 

No one was injured aboard flight AA1284, said airport management, who were alerted that the aircraft, a Boeing 737-823, with 134 passengers on board, had experienced tyre failure shortly after its 7:00 am takeoff.  

 

“The aircraft was held overhead, while various checks were undertaken on the runway and the debris cleared. Emergency personnel were activated, along with the airport operational personnel and our security detail,” Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA) Inc., Hadley Bourne, told Barbados TODAY. 

 

“The aircraft landed safely, and the passengers are now safely back in the terminal. There were no injuries to report.”  

 

In an update later in the afternoon, Bourne disclosed that the AA plane was undergoing maintenance repairs here.  

 

Initial reports said the flight experienced landing gear-related issues shortly after departing. Flight-tracking data showed the aircraft circling off the island before returning to the airport. 

Director-General of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Tracey Forde-Bailey told Barbados TODAY her department is waiting to get further word on the situation from the airline.

“I don’t have any further update other than the preliminary report, that the aircraft returned to the Grantley Adams International Airport.”

“We are now,” she added, “awaiting word from the technical personnel from the airline, but the aircraft is still on the ground.”