Dhaka:
A Delhi-bound Jet Airways aircraft carrying 139 persons skidded off a runway just before take-off from the Bangladesh capital on Monday. No one was hurt.
The Boeing-737 aircraft of the private airline Jet Airways skidded off the runway by over three meters at Dhaka's Zia International Airport just ahead of take-off, at about 10.40 am local time (10.10 am IST).
Officials said all 139 persons onboard the aircraft were safe.
"The aircraft skidded off the runway just before take-off but there was no incident of casualty and all passengers and crew are safe," Bangladesh Civil Aviation Authority Chairman Air Commodore Saked Iqbal Khan Majlis said.
He said the passengers were immediately evacuated from the aircraft while an airforce contingent joined the rescue operation along with civil aviation workers of Biman Bangladesh Airlines and Jet Airways engineers.
"It may take another four hours to salvage the aircraft," Majlis said.
Airport officials said all scheduled foreign and local flights were suspended following the accident and an investigation was ordered immediately.