A dramatic incident unfolded at Congonhas Airport in São Paulo, Brazil, when two planes collided, leaving a large tear in one aircraft’s fuselage.
The mishap occurred due to a failure in the pushback equipment, as stated by airport authorities.
Pushback refers to the process in which a specialized ground vehicle moves an aircraft from its parking stand to a position ready for taxiing.
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Following the collision, two flights were canceled. The aircraft involved were a GOL Boeing 737, set to depart for Florianópolis, and a LATAM Airbus A319, which had just arrived from Rio de Janeiro. Both planes were carrying passengers at the time.
The incident took place on the taxiway on Monday evening (July 29) as the LATAM plane was heading towards its parking gate. According to a GOL representative, “The passengers disembarked safely, which is our number one priority. They were rebooked on another aircraft to continue their journey.”
A spokesperson for LATAM added, “All passengers and crew disembarked normally and safely. The aircraft was taken in for maintenance, and we are investigating the incident.”
Although the GOL plane suffered significant damage, there were no injuries reported. The collision led to the cancellation of subsequent flights, but affected passengers were accommodated on alternative flights.
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