Air Senegal Boeing 737 Skids Off Runway in Fiery Crash,Injuring 10

An Air Senegal Boeing 737 passenger plane skidded off the runway and caught fire during takeoff at Blaise Diagne International Airport in Dakar, Senegal on Thursday, May 9, 2024, injuring 10 people including the pilot. Flight HC301 was bound for Bamako, Mali when the accident occurred around 1:00 a.m. local time.

Why this matters: This incident raises concerns about thesafety of Boeing aircraft, particularly in the wake of recent controversies surrounding the 737 Max model. As the investigation unfolds, it may have implications for the aviation industry as a whole, potentially affecting public trust and confidence in air travel.

The aircraft, carrying 78 passengers and operated by TransAir, veered off the runway and into a grassy field, where it burst into flames. Photos from the scene show the damaged plane surrounded by fire suppressant foam, with one engine broken apart and a wing severely damaged. Passengers described a scene of "complete panic" as they scrambled to evacuate the burning aircraft.

Malian musician Cheick Siriman Sissoko, who filmed the evacuation on his phone, recounted the terrifying ordeal: "I saw my life flash before my eyes. I thought about my mother, my wife, my kids." Another passenger, Ibrahim Diallo, 20, said the plane had attempted to take off earlier but failed, and smoke started coming from one of the wings during the second attempt.

Emergency services quickly responded to evacuate passengers from the burning plane. Eleven people were reported injured, with four suffering serious injuries. The pilot was among those hurt. Most of the 78 passengers escaped without injury. The airport was closed following the crash but has since reopened.

The cause of the accident is currently under investigation. Boeing referred all requests for comment to the airlines, stating that carriers operate and maintain their airplanes for upwards of 30 to 40 years. Air Sénégal posted a statement on social media rescheduling flights between Dakar and Bamako but did not respond to requests for further details.

This incident marks the third involving a Boeing airplane just this week, as the aerospace giant faces mounting pressure over safety concerns. In January, a door plug blew out of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max during a flight, prompting a criminal probe. Scrutiny has intensified over alleged quality control issues and shortcuts in Boeing's manufacturing processes.

The 737 Max, Boeing's best-selling plane, was grounded worldwide in 2019 after two crashes killed 346 people. Investigations revealed serious flaws with the aircraft's MCAS software, which caused the planes to nosedive. Leaked internal messages showed Boeing had concealed details about MCAS from pilots and regulators. The company has struggled to restore trust as victims' families push for criminal charges.

Thursday's runway accident in Senegal involved an older 737-300 model delivered in the 1990s, rather than the troubled 737 Max. However, it underscores the broader concerns over Boeing's safety culture that have emerged in recent years. As investigators work to determine the cause of the latest incident, Boeing faces an uphill battle to repair its reputation and reassure the flying public.