‘I Could See Smoke Billowing From Underneath The Aircraft’ – Passenger Aboard Ill-fated Air Maroc Flight Reveals

Monrovia- Albert Nyuangar, a passenger on board the Royal Air Maroc Boeing 737 with a family that nearly crashed at Roberts International Airport (RIA) on Saturday morning, recounted that he saw smoke billowing from underneath the aircraft.

By Jaheim T. Tumu- jaheim.tumu@frontpageafricaonline.com

Nyuangar described the flight experience as the most terrifying flight landing-ever that he had experienced.

Nyuangar’s statement contradicts the Liberia Airport Authority’s claim, suggesting that passengers on the Royal Air Maroc flight were indeed unaware of the near-crash incident that occurred at the airport.

On Saturday morning the Royal Air Maroc flight narrowly avoided a serious accident at RIA. Sources with knowledge of the situation reported that the plane landed on both rear wheels, but shortly after, the left wheel veered into a muddy grass patch adjacent to the runway. This caused damage to several runway lights, which are already sparse at RIA.

In a communication from the Airport authorities said that It appears that the pilot did not report the incident to the control tower or airport authorities, as the aircraft was parked at the passenger boarding bridge without any visible signs of alarm among the passengers, who disembarked normally.

Accordingly, the incident only came to light when departing passengers experienced a two-hour delay in their boarding time. It was then that Royal Air Maroc staff informed them of the situation.

However, one of the passengers on board the flight, Nyuangar, raised concerns about the discrepancy, and accuracy of the information provided by the airport authority regarding the incident.

Nyuangar narrated, “I have read the Liberia Aviation Authority’s statement regarding the Air Maroc Boeing 737 runway incident. While the majority of the information is accurate, it is worrisome that the LAA claimed that passengers were not aware of the incident.”

In a Facebook post, He added, “That Saturday morning, my family and I were traveling back to Liberia on an Air Maroc Boeing 737.” The flight “was the most terrifying flight landing I have ever experienced!”

According to him,  from the  vantage point from a window seat above the wings of the plane, he saw what  the authorities did not see as he was seated beside his wife in window seat F24, which is located above the plane’s right wing.

“I could feel the intense swirling of the plane from where I was sitting. Since I was seated near the window, I could see smoke billowing out from underneath the aircraft,” he recounted.

He disclosed that after safely disembarking the plane, he “was one of few passengers who later reported that there was an unusual smell of burning rubber tyre.

 “The flight attendant apologized for the rough landing. I thought that the LAA would check in with every passenger to show that they were concerned about their well-being. Yes! We felt that impact,” he said.

Also explaining his ordeal, Dell Davis, an American-Liberian traveler, has shared his troubling experiences with the RIA and  Royal Air Maroc following the incident at the airport.

 His account, posted on Facebook, he highlighted  significant concerns with airport operations, communication failures, and customer service, reflecting poorly on the current state of Liberia’s main international airport.

Davis recounted being among the passengers stranded at the airport for nearly seven hours without any communication from either airport employees or airline representatives after the Royal Air Maroc flight was grounded due to debris on the runway.  The lack of updates led to frustration among passengers, with one even attempting to assault the airline manager.

Said Davis, “During the recent incident which led to the Royal Air Maroc flight that grounded off the runway, I was one of the departing passengers waiting to board that flight. We were unable to depart due to the massive debris on the flight which had us stranded and sat at the airport from 12am to 7am ,without any forms of communication from employees at the airport nor the airline representatives.”

He described multiple safety and operational issues at the airport, including inadequate lighting, faulty escalators and scanners, and a non-functional PA system.

He also criticized the poor security measures at the airport, highlighting the potential for drug trafficking and weapons smuggling due to lax enforcement and corruption among security staff.

Davis noted that some security personnel prioritize personal gain over proper screening procedures, often requesting bribes in exchange for bypassing checks.

“The airport (Terminal) lacks proper electricity which is a major safety concern. Most of the lights are blinking constantly due to poor equipment being installed at the airport. The escalator and scanners function at a certain time and won’t afterwards. The lights on the runway are not visible enough for even proper landing,” he said.

 He pointed out that these deficiencies posed serious safety risks, as evidenced by the flight’s pilot having to make a quick U-turn due to visibility problems upon landing.

“Staffs and securities are using pens and papers to write down passengers’ information. This should be automated, once your passport and boarding passes are scanned at security checkpoints, passenger information should be available to those responsible for verification immediately without delay.”

In his recommendations, Davis called for significant improvements, including the construction of a solar power system to ensure consistent electricity, the implementation of an effective audio and video system for passenger information, and the automation of passenger screening processes.

He also emphasized the need for rigorous training and better customer service from airport staff, along with a reduction in unnecessary security checks.

 “When passengers ask (airport) staff, most of them would tell you that they have no idea, with rude gestures. When you request to speak with their supervisor, they tell you there’s no supervisor at the moment. Like how (can) you run 24/7,” he asked.

He stressed the importance of regular training for airport employees, proactive management, and the establishment of accountability mechanisms for staff behavior.

 He urged the Airport Authority and relevant government bodies to address these issues promptly to improve the overall experience and safety at the airport.

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