On Tuesday, the tires of a Ryanair plane exploded during landing, leading to the suspension of all flights at an Italian airport. The staff at Milan Bergamo Airport hurried to assist the passengers as the tires continued to shred.
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Within minutes, two emergency vehicles from the Bergamo headquarters and five from the airport arrived on the tarmac. By the time the plane came to a halt, the rubber on all four main tires had been severely worn.
Passenger footage of the aftermath found its way to social media.
Runway at Milan Bergamo Orio al Serio International Airport is currently closed after a Ryanair 737 MAX blew its main gear tires while landing at the Italian airport.
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) October 1, 2024
Airport authorities said in a statement, "SACBO advises that due to an aircraft grounded on the runway due to… pic.twitter.com/W0sPVXKqNV
Meanwhile, one passenger recounted the harrowing experience.
“You could smell the burning rubber in the plane. That was quite scary,” 35-year-old passenger Alice Longhurst, recalled to SWNS via The New York Post. “We were ready to go, and there were flames which was scary. I was shocked. I never experienced anything like this before,” she added.
There were no reported injuries, and all passengers safely disembarked the plane using a mobile staircase.
The Reason for the Plane’s Tires Exploding Remains Unclear
The cause of the incident remains unclear. However, Ryanair stated that engineers have thoroughly inspected the aircraft and will commence repairs to ensure its prompt return to service.
All incoming flights were redirected to nearby airports in Lombardy and Verona, while those that could not be rerouted were canceled. The airport reopened after the plane was removed from the tarmac and all debris cleared.
Of course, as footage of the Ryanair plane’s exploded tires spread across the internet, armchair experts weighed in.
Many denizens of X seemed to believe that Ryanair had something of a reputation for rough landings.
“Those hard landings associated with Ryanair are no myth. That main gear is obliterated,” one X user wrote. “Ryanair don’t land, they arrive,’ a second user quipped. “Just Ryanair doing what they do best bring them in fast and hard,” a third onlooker chimed in.
However, other Internet sleuths dug in deeper for an explanation.
“Brake failure or Anti-skid fail perhaps. Probably has flap damage also from tire separation. Look how close the left engine is to the ground,” one X user observed.
“What kind of braking was this, emergency braking?? Burst all tyres & locked wheels!!” another user wondered.