Maputo, 24 Jan (AIM) – A Bombardier Q400 aircraft, belonging to Mozambique Airlines (LAM), has been grounded since Tuesday evening at Chingodzi International Airport, in the central city of Tete, following a malfunction that prevented it from taking off on a scheduled flight to Maputo.
The aircraft was due to leave at 20.50 to Maputo, carrying around 50 passengers. However, on the runway, when the engines were running, the passengers were informed of a technical problem.
They were forced to disembark and wait for the problem to be resolved. At 23.30 they boarded again, and the captain tried to take off. Once again it was not possible, and the flight was cancelled.
In order to solve the problem, LAM promised to send another aircraft but by Wednesday morning, it had not yet arrived.
Among the passengers, according to the independent daily “O País”, there were at least three students who were travelling to take their university entrance exams at 08.00 on Wednesday, as well as others who had meetings and connecting flights.
Last April, the government placed LAM under the management of the South African company Fly Modern Ark (FMA), which is responsible for bringing the company into profitability, and rescuing it from bankruptcy.
Under the FMA administration, the company resumed direct flights from Maputo to Lisbon, after an interruption of 12 years. It has also acquired its first Boeing 737-300 freighter, in order to meet the demand for the transportation of goods.
(AIM)
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