Boeing investigates crash landing at Warsaw airport

photo - PAP/Jacek Turczyk

Staff from LOT Polish Airlines began moving the damaged aircraft by crane on Wednesday morning in a bid to clear the runway. However, fog has made progress slow-going.

Warsaw's Chopin International Airport will remain closed until Thursday. Flights are currently being re-directed to other airports.

At present, it is unclear why the plane's landing gear would not lower, an event that compelled the pilot, Captain Tadeusz Wrona, to land without the aid of wheels.

The plane, which has been in use for 14 years, is the youngest member of the fleet to which it belongs, and no significant problems had occurred before.

The aircraft had flown from Newark, New Jersey and all of the 231 people on board escaped from the plane without injury after special foam was spread over the runway to minimise the risk of fire.

Airport staff have reported that damage to the runway is minimal.

The cool demeanour of Captain Wrona during a tense landing has inspired a wave of admiration in Poland and beyond.

“He is one of our most experienced pilots,” said Marcin Pirog, chairman of LOT Polish Airlines.

The captain's 21-year-old daughter, Natalia Wrona, expressed her relief that the flight had ended without injury.

“I'm proud of my dad,” she told Polish tabloid Fakt.

“It certainly helped him that he is a very confident and focused man,” she said. (nh/pg)

source: PAP/IAR