A frightening incident occurred at the Halifax airport on Saturday evening when a plane arriving from St. John’s experienced difficulties during landing. The plane skidded down the runway and part of it caught fire, leading to the temporary closure of the airport.

Nikki Valentine, a passenger on the flight, recounted the harrowing experience to CBC News. According to Valentine, one of the plane’s tires did not deploy properly upon landing, causing the aircraft to tilt at a 20-degree angle to the left. She described hearing a loud crash-like sound as the wing and engine of the plane scraped along the pavement.

As the pilots struggled to regain control, the plane continued to skid down the runway. Valentine mentioned that the aircraft shook violently, and she observed flames on the left side of the plane, with smoke entering the cabin.

The incident involved Air Canada Flight 2259, operated by PAL Airlines. The exact number of passengers on board was not disclosed in the airport’s statement. Fortunately, all passengers were successfully evacuated from the plane and examined by paramedics in a hangar.

Valentine estimated that the plane had a capacity of around 80 passengers, with seating arranged in approximately 20 rows. While no life-threatening injuries were reported, many passengers were understandably shaken by the ordeal.

Following the incident, the airport reopened one of its runways to resume operations. Investigations into the cause of the malfunction are ongoing, with authorities working to ensure the safety of future flights.

As the situation unfolds, stay tuned for further updates on this developing story.