A private jet carrying Liberian President Joseph Boakai was involved in a landing scare on Thursday night at Roberts International Airport (RIA), causing panic and the temporary suspension of all flights at the country’s main airport.
According to the Liberia Airport Authority (LAA), part of the presidential jet’s landing gear malfunctioned as the aircraft approached the runway. The malfunction led to a rough landing, during which one of the plane’s tyres reportedly burst, leaving the aircraft stranded on the runway. Despite the severity of the incident, President Boakai and his entourage were safely evacuated without injuries.
The president was returning from Nigeria, where he attended the 50th anniversary celebration of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Photos shared on social media showed the stalled jet on the tarmac and raised widespread concern among Liberians about the president’s safety.
In a statement, the LAA confirmed the “unfortunate near-accident situation,” while stressing that the incident was not related to runway conditions. “The runway infrastructure remains fully compliant with international aviation safety standards,” the authority asserted, addressing speculation about inadequate facilities.
The incident caused the cancellation of all scheduled flights for the night, creating disruption for passengers and prompting emergency responses at the airport. Airport authorities have since cleared the aircraft from the runway, and normal operations resumed shortly afterward.
An investigation has been launched to determine the exact cause of the landing gear failure. The LAA assured the public that findings from the probe will be made available in due course.
Although the Liberian presidency has not issued an official statement about the incident, it posted images of President Boakai’s arrival at the airport on social media. The president briefly spoke to journalists at the scene but made no mention of the mid-air scare.
The close call has highlighted concerns over the safety of high-profile government travel and has reignited public discussions about the state of aviation oversight and aircraft maintenance in Liberia.
