APA-Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) Ethiopian Airlines has dismissed reports alleging that its plane landed at Hong Kong airport “in the middle” of a Super Typhoon as “absolutely incorrect”.
Flight ET608 from Addis Ababa to Hong Kong via Bangkok touched down at Hong Kong airport at its scheduled arrival time on Friday evening, the Airline said on Monday in a statement.
The plane was the last to land at Hong Kong Airport before the airport suspended its operations due to Typhoon Saola.
In a statement, Ethiopian said Flight ET608 departed from Bangkok after getting weather forecast information that the weather at Hong Kong airport would be safe for landing at the time of arrival.
Accordingly, the flight proceeded and landed since “the weather conditions were within the normal range and after securing clearance from the Hong Kong airport ATC,” the airline said.
The flight was operated in consideration of the weather forecast that indicated the Typhoon was far away from Hong Kong airport at the time of arrival of the plane, per the airline.
It further explains that the flight landed at Hong Kong airport “smoothly while the actual weather condition was within the acceptable limits”.
“Hence, the report from some media which stated the flight landed at Hong Kong airport in the middle of the super Typhoon is absolutely incorrect,” said the carrier.
Later, the wather in Hong Kong deteriorated and the airport was closed for operation, forcing the return flight ET609 to be postponed by 24 hours.
MG/abj/APA