MONROVIA – A near-disastrous landing of a private jet carrying Liberian President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has disrupted operations at Roberts International Airport (RIA), grounding multiple international flights and leaving passengers stranded in disarray. The incident occurred Thursday afternoon when the aircraft, returning from Nigeria, suffered a tire blowout during landing, igniting smoke and forcing an abrupt halt in the middle of RIA’s only operational runway.
The aircraft, which had carried the President and his entourage, reportedly caught fire on one tire, prompting emergency protocols as chaos unfolded on the tarmac. Sources at the airport reported that the private jet came to a sudden stop due to the tire malfunction, triggering panic onboard. Smoke was seen billowing from the aircraft, and video evidence shows clouds surrounding the plane moments after landing. Journalists attempting to document the scene were reportedly ordered by Executive Protection Service (EPS) officers to cease live broadcasts and delete recorded footage.
The dramatic incident paralyzed flight operations at Liberia’s main airport. Kenya Airways and Nigeria-based Air Peace, both of which had scheduled landings at RIA on Thursday, canceled their flights indefinitely. By evening, the stranded aircraft remained on the runway, with no official confirmation of when it would be cleared to restore normal operations.
Passengers scheduled to depart were seen in confusion and frustration as airport officials scrambled to contain the fallout. “Fresh photo from RIA, Kenya and Air Peace have been cancelled till Saturday. This is the plane that brought President Boakai and almost crashed,” one eyewitness commented on social media, highlighting both the disruption and the growing public criticism over the incident.
According to airport staff, President Boakai was safely escorted from the aircraft by his motorcade shortly after the emergency landing. Members of his delegation were transported from the runway by shuttle bus. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
RIA management issued a formal statement acknowledging the incident and citing infrastructure challenges as a possible contributing factor. “We are aware that one of the aircraft’s tires burst upon landing, prompting a precautionary stop on the runway,” the statement read. “Preliminary investigations suggest that the incident may have been caused by the poor state of our runway, specifically the presence of potholes.”
In an unusual move, the airport authority took full responsibility for the condition of the facility. “We take full responsibility for the condition of our infrastructure and assure the public that we are taking immediate action to rectify the situation,” the RIA management said, adding that safety remains their top priority.
“We apologize for any inconvenience this incident may have caused, particularly to the President and his delegation, as well as to other grounded aircraft and those diverted due to this incident,” the airport authority continued. They also praised the emergency team and flight crew for acting swiftly to ensure everyone’s safety.
Until the disabled jet is removed, RIA remains partially shut down. As the airport operates a single main runway, all inbound and outbound flights are suspended or delayed indefinitely. The airport has assured the public that efforts are underway to restore full operations and rehabilitate the damaged portions of the runway.
