This is the harrowing moment terrified passengers screamed in fear as a jet veered off a runway during an aborted take-off from a Croatian airport. Footage captured inside a Croatia Airlines Airbus A220-300, which was departing from Split Airport on Saturday, shows flyers letting out blood-curdling screams as the aircraft swerved onto the grass beside the runway.
Passengers Describe Terrifying Ordeal
Heavy rain was seen rushing past the plane as it accelerated down the tarmac. The aircraft rattled audibly, causing passengers to fear for their lives. As the plane cut across the grass, mud and dirt were thrown up onto its white body, coating it in a brown film. Video footage from outside the plane shows it unexpectedly swinging to the side just as it was about to lift off.
Pilot Action and Aftermath
The pilot appeared to immediately decelerate as the near-accident occurred. There were 130 passengers onboard the plane, which was reportedly heading to Frankfurt, Germany, along with two pilots and three cabin crew members. No injuries were reported, and all individuals safely disembarked. Passengers were transferred to the terminal building, where assistance was provided to help them reach their destinations.
Investigation Underway
Croatian authorities are now investigating the incident. Danko Petrin, chief investigator of aircraft accidents at Croatia’s Air, Maritime and Railway Accident Investigation Agency (AIN), told local media: 'The investigation has only just started and extensive technical analyses are being carried out to determine the cause of the deviation during take-off. At this stage we do not know why the aircraft veered to the left. That will be established through the investigation.'
Investigators have retrieved the cockpit's voice recorder and will also analyse data from the aircraft's black box. Petrin added: 'These analyses and procedures require time.'
