A plane which crash-landed as it was buffeted by winds up to 50mph at an airport in the UK is being investigated further.
The ATR 72 jet operated by Emerald Airlines for Aer Lingus was involved in an emergency as its crew attempted to land at Belfast City Airport at about 4pm on Sunday, December 22.
The wheels under the nose appeared to collapse during the dramatic landing of the plane, which had no passengers onboard.
There were no injuries to the four crew members on the flight, according to reports.
After the landing, all flights in and out of Belfast City Airport were cancelled or diverted for the rest of the day.
Belfast Live reports that the plane is currently parked at the flight hub in Northern Ireland, and it remains unclear when it will re-enter service.
A spokesperson for the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said: “The aircraft has not been moved because it is due to undergo further examination work as part of the ongoing investigation.”
Investigations of the kind the ATR 72 jet is undergoing can take nine months to a year to complete. AAIB’s spokesperson said its investigation is still ongoing, and it is too soon to provide an update.
A spokesperson for Emerald Airlines, which operates Aer Lingus Regional services, said the jet was flying from Edinburgh to Belfast City Airport when it experienced a hard landing upon arriving due to adverse weather conditions.
“Due to ongoing reviews, we will not be providing further comment at this time.”
