Forty-nine people emerged unscathed when the nose gear of the plane they were on collapsed just before take-off.
Footage shows some of them being evacuated from the small propeller plane on Wednesday (1st May) morning.
The ATR 42-500 is inclined forward and its bodywork is touching the tarmac at San Andrés International Airport, Colombia.
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The flight, operated by SATENA, was bound from San Andrés Island for Providencia Island in the Caribbean.
Flight 9R 8806 had almost finished lining up for take-off when the nose gear retracted.
Forty-five passengers and four crew were on board the Franco-Italian-made airliner at the time of the mishap.
No injuries were reported.
Technicians eventually removed the aircraft and cleared the runway at San Andrés Airport.
Hundreds of passengers were left waiting for their delayed flights into the night.
The incident also caused dozens of flight cancellations, as reported on Need To Know.
Colombia’s Civil Aviation Authority has opened an investigation into the accident.
One online commenter wrote: “Nose gear collapses look more dramatic than the real danger anyone is in.
“They do cause damage to the airframe, but from a safety perspective they are quite benign.”
A SATENA spokesperson said: “On Wednesday, 1 May, the nose landing gear of aircraft HK5104 retracted before take-off on flight No. 8806 between the islands of San Andrés and Providencia.
“This incident occurred without jeopardising the safety of the 45 passengers and four flight crew on board.
“Currently, we are coordinating the necessary support to move the aircraft.
“SATENA will deploy one of its aircraft from the mainland to the archipelago to ensure the scheduled itineraries for this Wednesday are fulfilled safely.
“Lastly, SATENA reaffirms its commitment to the Raizal community and tourists visiting the archipelago by providing immediate solutions to fulfil our mission of connecting Colombia’s regions.
“Thank you for your attention.”
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