Cargo Plane Overshoots Runway at Montpellier Airport, Causing Flight Cancellations

"As a safety measure and pending the arrival of a specialized company to move the aircraft, commercial and freight flights" will no longer be able to land in Montpellier for an indefinite period, the Hérault prefecture said in a statement, specifying that the three people on board the aircraft are "unharmed. They were extricated and secured thanks to the rapid intervention of the emergency services."

The plane, a Boeing 737 loaded with freight, missed its landing and ended up with its nose in the Mauguio pond at the end of the runway. The incident occurred at 2:50 am, reports La Voix du Nord. "As long as this aircraft is on the runway, and the investigation is not completed, we will not reopen the airport. After the removal of the aircraft, the runway will also be carefully diagnosed," say the Montpellier airport services.

In total, 42 aircraft movements, or 21 commercial flights, were scheduled for Saturday. The cancellations of these flights, including the one to Marrakech, or their relocation to the nearest airports, remain at the discretion of the airlines, the Montpellier airport notes without further details.

A "safety investigation" has been opened and will be conducted by the Bureau of Investigations and Analyses (BEA) to determine the circumstances of the accident of this La Poste cargo plane carrying mail. The aircraft was operated by the company "West Atlantic," the BEA specified in a tweet on Saturday.