A Thai Airways plane skidded off the Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport runway late Sunday, CNN reported Monday.
Authorities said that the Thai Airways Airbus 330-300 skidded off the runway while landing after its landing gear malfunctioned, adding that fourteen people got hurt while evacuating the aircraft but no fatalities were recorded.
The Washington Post noted that this is the second mishap for Thailand's national carrier in less than two weeks.
Media reports noted that workers on a crane readily blacked out the Thai Airways logo on the tail and body after the accident. The gesture was said to be an effort to protect the airline's image. An Airline official, Samud Poom-On said that the move was a normal practice for Thai Airways whenever there is an accident, adding that it was mandated by Star Alliance.
However, the global airline grouping denied what Samud said and even denounced the existence of such a policy.
An official airline statement issued after the incident said that the Thai Airways flight 679, which carried 288 passengers and 14 crew members, departed Guangzhou, China at 9:25 p.m. and arrived in Bangkok at exactly 11:20 p.m.
"After touchdown at Suvarnabhumi Airport, the landing gear malfunctioned and caused the aircraft to skid off the runway," Thai Airways President Sorajak Kasemsuvan explained in a statement. "Sparks were noticed from the vicinity of the right landing gear near the engine; the matter is under investigation."
The airline statement also revealed that no passenger got injured during the actual landing, adding that the pilot remained in control of the plane until it reached a full stop and the 14 cabin crew quickly led the evacuation of all 288 passengers.
Although a Thai Airways official claimed that 13 passengers were injured, the official statement from the airline said that there were actually 14 passengers who got hurt in the evacuation process, adding that two of the injured 14 remained at a Bangkok hospital late Monday.
Airbus spokesman Justin Dubon said that it was too early to comment or judge on what really caused the accident, and noted that Airbus has dispatched a team of experts to help the investigation in Bangkok.
Airport officials are still clearing the runway and are expecting flight delays until Monday.
This is the second incident involving the Thai Airway Airbus. According to earlier reports an Airbus A380 hit severe turbulence as it was descending to a Hong Kong airport on Aug. 30. The Airbus carried 500 passengers and only 20 were injured.
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