An investigation has been launched after a Croatia Airlines passenger jet carrying more than 130 people veered off the runway during take-off at Split Airport on Saturday, May 16. Shocking footage shows the Airbus A220-300 swerving to the left before skidding across grass and crashing through airport signs, eventually grinding to a halt.
Incident Details
The drama unfolded at 1.35pm local time as the aircraft was attempting to depart for Frankfurt, Germany. The plane, which had 130 passengers and five crew members on board, drifted left during take-off for reasons still undetermined. Pilots aborted the take-off at approximately 130 knots (150 mph), but the jet left the asphalt runway and ended up on the grassy surface next to it.
Passengers and crew were evacuated safely, with no injuries reported. The aircraft sustained damage to its front landing gear and left-hand engine.
Investigation Underway
Darko Petrin, chief investigator at Croatia’s Air, Maritime and Railway Accident Investigation Agency, confirmed that the investigation is in its early stages. “It is known that the aircraft, for reasons still undetermined, drifted to the left during takeoff, left the asphalt part of the runway and ended up on the grassy surface next to the runway,” he said.
The plane’s black boxes have been taken for analysis, and the investigation could take months. The Airbus A220-300 was delivered to Croatia Airlines less than a year ago. Split Airport was closed for several hours following the incident.
