727 overshoots runway

KUCHING: The Kuching International Airport was closed for five hours after a DHL cargo plane overshot the runway. 

The incident occurred about 6.20am yesterday when the Boeing 727 aircraft from Subang airport landed in the rain. None of the four crewmembers on board was hurt. 

Yesterday’s mishap affected 37 flights and more than 1,000 passengers, said Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Alfred Jabu. 

He said two incoming and two departing flights were cancelled and 18 departing flights and 15 incoming flights diverted or rescheduled.  

The airport was reopened at 11.30am after the cargo plane was towed away from the scene. 

Jabu, also state Infrastructure Development and Communications Minister, said an inquiry would be carried out to determine the cause of the incident. 

The temporary closure of the airport was the second in eight days. On Feb 20, an Airbus' nosewheel slipped out of the runway as it was making a U-turn to prepare for take-off.  

Jabu said the probe into the first incident was still under way.