Fear gripped passengers yesterday as a Qatar Airways Boeing 767 plane suddenly had a burst tyre while attempting to take off from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.

The plane was said to be taxiing for take-off on the runway 18 of the international wing of the airport.

Hundreds of passengers were said to be distressed by the incident which happened around 3 p.m. after the captain had already been cleared for take-off.

The aircraft was on its way to the United Arab Emirate.
Sources said immediately after the tyre burst, the pilot stopped and then returned to the terminal.

One of the passengers on board disclosed that prayers rent the air when they heard the loud sound the plane was making. He said, “We thank God that the plane had not gathered the full speed for takeoff. It would have been something else.”

The plane was said by last night to have been parked at one of the hangars within the airport for repair and certification before it would return to operations.