Crash-landed F18 aircraft was on training mission

Manama : The US F18 military aircraft that undertook an emergency landing at the Bahrain International Airport at 12:40 pm yesterday was on a training mission in the international waters when it experienced a technical problem in one of its engines, the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications Civil Aviation Affairs said yesterday.

“The captain had to make an emergency landing in BIA. The aircraft landed on runway number 30, stopping just off the runway on the left side,” the Ministry said.

The emergency procedures followed in such incidents were activated at the Bahrain International Airport and the Emergency Management Center was opened at the Civil Aviation Affairs Bureau, the Ministry said. 

“The incident resulted in the closure of the airport runway for safety reasons for all departing and incoming aircraft. The center announced that the runway was closed for approximately two hours from 12:40 to 2.50 pm on the same day,” it said.

“Services inside the airport continued as normal, and nine flights were diverted to Dammam, Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports, the departure of a number of departures and the cancellation of one flight only,” the Ministry said.

Civil Aviation Affairs expressed its deep thanks to all employees working at Bahrain International Airport, in particular Bahrain Airport Company, the various airline employees and other airlines operating in the airport, and all those who have contributed in a professional manner to the return of the aircraft traffic to its normal position in a short period of time.