GARUDA FLIGHT SKIDS OFF LOMBOK RUNWAY

Garuda Indonesia flight GA-7040, en route to Lombok from Bali, skidded off the runway at Lombok International Airport yesterday afternoon and landed in a field to the west of the runway, closing the airport.

No injuries were reported amongst the twenty-nine passengers on board of the ATR72-600 aircraft, which skidded off the runway at approximately 5.03pm yesterday. Lombok International Airport officials immediately closed the runway and redirected incoming flights to nearby airports.

irport officials are working to remove the aircraft fuselage from the field and expect to reopen the airport at 9am today should the removal process go smoothly. Garuda Indonesia officials confirmed that Garuda flight GA-7040 experienced an incident off of the runway at Lombok International Airport and have dispatched officials from Jakarta and Singapore to investigate the cause of the incident, which is currently unknown. “

"Aircraft type ATR72-600 PK-GAG exited the runway and stopped on the grass shortly after the plane made a landing at Lombok Airport,” confirmed Garuda VP of Corporate Communications Pujobroto.

Sources: Metro TV News,

Photo: kompas.com