A signage for Cathay Pacific Airways at the departures hall of Hong Kong International Airport in Hong Kong, on March 8, 2023. A Cathay Pacific jetliner aborted its takeoff at Hong Kong International Airport early Saturday, June 24, 2023, and 11 passengers were injured while evacuating the aircraft, the airline said.- AP
HONG KONG, June 24 (AP/Reuters): Eleven people were injured on Cathay Pacific's flight CX880 at Hong Kong's international airport early on Saturday after the carrier aborted takeoff due to a technical issue, Cathay said in a statement.
The flight from Hong Kong to Los Angeles was carrying 17 crew and 293 passengers. It performed "an aborted takeoff in accordance with standard procedures after a technical issue was detected by the crew."
The injuries occurred during a precautionary evacuation back at the gate, when passengers exited the aircraft using five door escape slides, Cathay said.
"Nine of the eleven passengers who received treatment at hospitals have been discharged," it said. "Our colleagues will continue to provide support to the two hospitalised passengers and their families."
"The injured passengers are being treated at the hospital with injuries sustained during the evacuation process,” Cathay Pacific said. "Our priority is to look after all affected passengers and crew.”
Flight CX880, bound for Los Angeles, returned to the gate after a "technical issue” caused the crew to abort the takeoff and "a precautionary passenger evacuation” was initiated, the airline said in a statement.
Cathay said it sincerely apologised for the disruption to customers. It said those on board used five escape slides to exit the plane.
One of the plane's tyres overheated causing it to burst, public broadcaster RTHK reported, citing police.
By 10:30 am., nine of the injured passengers had been discharged from the hospital, the airline said later.
Using a different aircraft, the flight departed for Los Angeles at 10:12 a.m., carrying 283 passengers, it said. - AP/Reuters
