Airport staff in Venezuela’s Simón Bolívar International Airport evacuated 92 passengers on Sunday (local time) from a Laser Airlines flight headed for the Dominican Republic after smoke emerged from the aircraft’s fuselage.
The passengers were evacuated using emergency slides. Videos shared on social media showed that the passengers were exiting the plane in a hurry. Some passengers even fell to the ground during the evacuation process.
❗ – An emergency was reported on a Laser Airlines flight at Simón Bolívar de Maiquetía International Airport in Venezuela, resulting in the evacuation of the aircraft. Reports indicate that several people were injured when using the emergency slide.
The flight was… pic.twitter.com/Dau093BOvI
— The Informant (@theinformant_x) April 28, 2024
The flight was supposed to land in Dominican capital Santo Domingo. The Venezuelan National Civil Aeronautics Institute (INAC) confirmed that such an incident happened after Venezuelan news media outlets carried the report.
INAC said the passengers were transferred to the airport’s designated triage area. The passengers also received medical attention.
The air carrier provided a replacement aircraft to complete the flight after
security protocols were followed and checked baggage was unloaded.
“The neighbouring country’s aeronautical security institution will conduct a thorough evaluation of safety protocols at Simón Bolívar International Airport and Laser Airlines to determine the cause of the incident and ensure the continued safety of civil aviation,” INAC officials stated in a social media post as seen by Dominican Republic-based Dominican Today.
