Passenger plane swept by 99 mph gale in Argentina: Severe weather wreaks havoc, claims lives
A severe storm hit Buenos Aires' Jorge Newbery Aeroparque airport on Sunday, bringing with it forceful gusts of wind.
7:24 PM EST, December 18, 2023
Videos appearing online show the Boeing plane being moved by the powerful wind. The aircraft's wing then hits the stairs used for passenger boarding. The intense wind also caused damage to the airport building.
The 17-year-old aircraft suffered damage, leading to the cancellation of its next scheduled flight to Francisco Gabrielli International Airport in Mendoza on Sunday morning.
Plane accident. A statement from the aircraft company
A few hours after the incident, a statement surfaced from Aerolineas Argentinas, the company operating the aircraft.
Aerolineas Argentinas confirms that due to the severe weather primarily affecting Aeroparque's operations, 100 flights have to date been cancelled. The same number of flights have been delayed, and rescheduling has been necessary— we read.
The company added that it may continue deciding cancellation of international flights due to the challenging weather conditions. In extreme cases, airport closure could also be a possibility.
As a consequence of the severe thunderstorm, Argentina and neighboring Uruguay suffered a death toll of at least 16 over the weekend.
Given the severity of the situation, the authorities have urged residents to remain indoors until Sunday morning, or until the natural disaster has subsided.
