Nearly a dozen passengers injured after plane’s takeoff is aborted

Almost a dozen passengers on a flight from Hong Kong to Los Angeles were injured when the aircraft’s takeoff was suddenly aborted.

Almost a dozen passengers on a flight from Hong Kong to Los Angeles were injured when the aircraft’s takeoff was suddenly aborted.

Nearly a dozen passengers were injured after a plane’s takeoff was aborted at the eleventh hour due to a technical issue.

The Cathay Pacific flight CX880 from Hong Kong to Los Angeles on Sunday was scheduled to depart just after 12am (local time) but never left the runway.

Its 17 crew and 293 passengers were taken on a loop of the tarmac then returned to the gate, before disembarking via five door escape slides.

The aircraft’s slides were deployed once it arrived back at the gate. Picture: Twitter/JacdecNew

Ten women and one man were injured while using the slides and were taken to hospital, with nine people having since been released the airline said in a statement, according to Reuters.

The airline said the takeoff was aborted “in accordance with standard procedures after a technical issue was detected by the crew”.

“Our colleagues will continue to provide support to the two hospitalised passengers and their families.”

While a statement from Hong Kong International Airport, obtained by Simple Flying, said a “signal anomaly” was the issue, The South China Morning Post reported differently.

The publication reported the aircraft had 12 damaged wheels during takeoff and flames were visible near the wheels.

The aircraft did a loop of the tarmac but never left the runway. Picture: Twitter/JacdecNew/FlightRadar24

The pilots were able to apply the emergency brakes before takeoff, allowing them to safely return to the gate, the publication said.

The aircraft, a Boeing 777-300ER, was obtained by Cathay Pacific in April 2010, making it just over 13 years old. According to Simple Flying, it has remained grounded in Hong Kong.

The airline said affected passengers were given overnight accommodation and boarded onto an alternative flight the following day, less 10 passengers than the original 293.