Navy Aircraft Blocks Phuket Airport Runway After Landing Gear

Navy Aircraft Blocks Phuket Airport Runway After Landing Gear Malfunction

A navy aircraft experienced a landing gear malfunction just after touchdown at Phuket International Airport, causing it to stop on the runway and blocking incoming and outgoing flights. The incident occurred during a routine approach when one of the landing struts failed to deploy properly, leaving the aircraft grounded on the tarmac. Airport operations were immediately suspended, and arriving flights were diverted while ground crews and airport emergency services responded. The aircraft’s crew declared an emergency, and all passengers were safely evacuated. Technicians and naval engineers were dispatched to inspect and remove the plane, a process expected to take several hours. The disruption caused delays across Phuket’s air network, with ripple effects into Bangkok and other domestic hubs. Airline operators scrambled alternate routing and offered accommodations to stranded passengers. Investigations are underway to determine whether mechanical fault, maintenance lapse, or external damage caused the landing gear failure.