Update: Suvarnabhumi airport said the plane was removed and all runways were operating normally from 4:15pm.
BANGKOK — A passenger was injured Monday night when a Thai Airways plane overshot a landing at Suvarnabhumi airport.
The airline said the incident with flight TG679 – inbound from Guangzhou, China – was caused by heavy rain which made the west runway slippery. The top transport official on Tuesday said the plane should be removed by 4pm, and that the runway would remain closed until then.
Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith said the retrieval was underway, adding it would take time because one of its wheels was stuck deep in mud. He said he instructed related agencies to investigate the cause of the accident.
The Boeing 747-400 was carrying 97 passengers and 18 crew members. It landed at about 11pm, the airline said.
Dalad Asaves, Suvarnabhumi vice president, said the injured passenger sprained an ankle and had been treated.
Somnuek Rongthong of the aeronautical radio authority said all inbound flights today may be affected as only one runway is open. He said there are about 800 to 900 daily inbound and outbound flights in Suvarnabhumi.
