A DHL Cargo Jet Skidded Off A Runway And Snapped In Two
No, this is not cake. Photo: Ezequiel Becerra (Getty Images)
On Thursday, April 7, a DHL cargo jet was coming in to land in Costa Rica when disaster struck. The Boeing 757 airliner skidded off the runway, turned to one side and then snapped in two. Nobody was injured in the crash, but now the mangled parts of the plane are laid bare for all to see. And it’s a really weird sight to behold.
According to The Guardian, the plane took off from Costa Rica’s Juan Santamaria international airport and was bound for Guatemala. However, it suffered a failure in the hydraulic system shortly after takeoff and the pilot had to carry out an emergency landing back in Costa Rica.
DHL reported that the two members of crew onboard were unharmed. The company added that one member of the team had undergone a “medical review as a precaution.”
Nothing’s fine, I’m torn. Photo: Ezequiel Becerra (Getty Images)
Sadly, the same can’t be said for the Boeing 757-200 cargo aircraft involved in the crash. It was left looking like a shell of its former self.
In a video of the incident shared online, the DHL plane can be seen skidding down the runway with its tires smoking. It then turns to the right and falls off the runway. As it hits the ground, the tail of the plane snaps away from the fuselage.
A wing was also broken in the crash, and the body of the plane was left battered and bent out of shape.
In a statement, DHL said: “DHL’s incident response team has been activated and an investigation will be conducted with the relevant authorities to determine what happened.”
The plane, which one social media user reported was built in 1999, remains in two pieces at the airport. The rear of the plane is a mangled mess, while the front stands proud above the remains.
It’s there, peaking over the bank at the runway above. A bit like a meerkat popping its head out the den to spot any danger. Honestly, it’s a really weird sight and I can’t stop staring at it.
Following the crash, Juan Santamaria international airport was closed for five hours and reopened at 3.30pm local time.
