A private jet carrying Liberian President Joseph Boakai crash-landed on Thursday night at Roberts International Airport, causing panic and a temporary suspension of all flight operations.
The incident occurred as the aircraft approached the runway after returning from Abuja, Nigeria, where President Boakai had attended the 50th anniversary of ECOWAS. Airport officials confirmed that a malfunction in the landing gear led to a hard landing, causing one of the tyres to burst on impact.
President Boakai and members of his entourage were safely evacuated, with no injuries reported. However, the damaged jet remained on the runway for several hours, leading to the suspension of scheduled flights and major disruptions.
Photos of the jet quickly went viral on social media, sparking concern over the safety of the president. Later that night, airport authorities confirmed the aircraft was successfully removed from the runway and that normal flight operations resumed.
In a statement, airport management reassured the public that the runway is safe and fully compliant with global aviation standards. A full investigation has been launched into the mechanical failure that caused the crash landing.
