Dramatic footage emerges of tyre explosion on aircraft tug at Hong Kong airport as plane prepares for flight to Seoul
- Tyre shoots off aircraft tractor at high speed and lands about 10 metres away as workers stand within striking distance
A tyre exploded and flew off an aircraft tug on Tuesday as the machine was pushing a plane at Hong Kong airport, endangering workers nearby, it has emerged.
At least one worker was driving the tug and two “wing walkers” were standing either side of the Hong Kong Airlines plane when the explosion took place. It happened only seconds after the aircraft began pushing back from the departure gate for its flight to Seoul.
Closed-circuit television footage shows the tyre and an unidentified piece of the wheel separating, and pressurised air shooting out. The video appears to suggest the tyre had been incorrectly pressurised.
The tyre shoots off at high speed and ends up about 10 metres away under an airport jet bridge, which passengers use to enter and exit planes. The unidentified piece flies out of shot in the footage.
No one was hurt in the incident, the Airport Authority said.