London (Parliament News) – Virgin Atlantic and British Airways planes collide on Heathrow runway, sparking emergency response. No injuries were reported. Investigation underway. Flights unaffected.
A Virgin Atlantic plane collided with a British Airways jet at Heathrow Airport, flashing a huge emergency service response on Saturday. The empty Virgin 787 plane was being pulled at Terminal 3 when it bobbed the wing of the BA Airbus A350 passenger plane, witnesses have stated.
It has been reported that the plane was packed with passengers and was bound for Accra but British Airways is yet to verify. At least five fire engines ran to the scene while the Air Accident Investigation Branch has assumed note.
How Severe Was the Impact?
Both planes were running at a low speed and there have not been any information of injuries. A Virgin spokesman stated: “The wingtip of one of our empty aircraft came into contact with another aircraft while being towed from the stand at London Heathrow Terminal 3. The safety of our customers and crew is always our highest priority.
“We can confirm no customers were on board the Virgin Atlantic aircraft during this time. We’ve commenced a full and thorough investigation. Our engineering teams are performing maintenance checks on the aircraft, which for now has been taken out of service.”
The aircraft has been taken out of service and engineering units are performing maintenance checks on it, the airline said. It is understood Virgin Atlantic’s flying programme has not been disrupted by the incident. The tow movement was provided by a ground handling company under contract by Virgin Atlantic.
How Did Eyewitnesses Describe the Collision?
Alex Whittles, the passenger of another plane, caught the incident. He said: “Just witnessed a plane crash at Heathrow! A tug pushing back a Virgin 787, crashed the wing into a BA A350.” “He drove the plane right over the hash markings on the ground,” he stated.
The British Airways plane had recently docked from Ghana’s capital Accra. It was due to depart on the return trip at 12.40 pm from Gate 25 at Terminal 3. The departure for the Accra journey has been moved back to 6.30 pm but the airport, according to live flight boards, does not seem to have many other alterations on Saturday afternoon.
What Did Authorities and Airline Spokespeople Say About the Incident?
The Metropolitan Police stated: “On Saturday 6 April at 12:09hrs aviation police were made mindful of a collision between two aircraft and a pull vehicle.“Officers observed the scene and concluded that the aircraft being towed by the tug hit the wing of a stationary aircraft. There were passengers on panel one of the aircraft at the time of the collision. There were no noted injuries.”
A Heathrow spokesperson stated: “We are performing alongside emergency services and our airline partners in reaction to an incident involving two aircraft on the ground earlier today. “At present, no passenger wounds have been reported and we do not expect there to be any ongoing impact on airport operations.”