Korean Air plane overshoots runway in Philippines

A Korean Air plane slid off the runway while landing at Cebu international airport in the Philippines, causing slight injuries and shutting down the country's second busiest airport, authorities said Monday (Oct 24).

All 173 passengers and crew of Korean Air flight KE631 from Incheon were evacuated safely after the Airbus A330 aircraft overshot the runway on Sunday, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said in a report.

Minor injuries were treated at the airport clinic.

Glenn Napuli, the airport's assistant general manager, said the airport would be shut down until midnight, and authorities were working to resume flights within the day. "We are hoping by tomorrow we can remove the aircraft," Napuli said in a briefing. An investigation was underway into the cause of the accident, Napuli said. Korean Air president Woo Kee-hong has apologised over the incident and vowed a "thorough investigation" by both Philippine and Korean authorities.

"We always prioritise safety in all of our operations, and we truly regret the stress and inconvenience brought to our passengers," Woo said in a statement posted on the company website.

In 2018, a Xiamen Airline aircraft slid off the runway at Manila airport, forcing more than a hundred flight cancellations until the Chinese plane was pulled from the mud after more than a day.