Plane hits bushpig on take-off


AN airline has been criticised for not knowing what to do after one of its planes hit a bushpig on take-off.

The Air Zimbabwe's MA60 jet was bound for the western city of Bulawayo but crashed after hitting the pig as it ran on to the runway.

All 37 passengers and crew managed to escape the 60-seat jet, but not without problems.

One passenger told the Standard newspaper the plane was just about to lift off when we heard a loud bang from underneath, followed by violent shaking of the entire aircraft.

"The aircraft veered off the runway into the grass before it came to a halt. Smoke and dust engulfed the cabin as passengers screamed for dear life," Fambai Ngirande said.

Mr Ngirande said a petrified hostess told everyone to evacuate, but they discovered one of the emergency exits was jammed.

The airport emergency rescue service was said to have taken five minutes to reach the passengers.

Mr Ngirande said it was "by God's grace" that all on board had not perished.
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He said Air Zimbabwe had "no disaster response strategy" and its personnel "did not have a clue" of what to do.

Secret police arrested two passengers for taking photographs.