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The FlyMontserrat aircraft at the side of the runway on Tuesday morning

By Nerissa Golden

BRADES, Montserrat (GIU) – No injuries have been reported from a Tuesday morning incident at Montserrat's John A. Osborne Airport involving a FlyMontserrat aircraft. However, the airline has been grounded until it meets Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority (ECCCA) requirements.

The airline head Nigel Harris confirmed on Tuesday morning that “one of its aircraft rolled onto the grass on landing at John Osborne Airport in Montserrat this morning.

“The flight, 5M 2109, from Antigua with seven passengers, landed normally and decelerated along the runway. The pilot thought that he felt a minor vibration and as a precaution, he let the aircraft roll gently onto the grass, where the passengers disembarked,” the statement read.

Airport officials confirmed that the airport was reopened at 3:00 pm after the plane was removed following the incident, which occurred around 9:40 am.

There were no reported injuries and no damage to the aircraft according to airline officials.

The flight was said to have been returning from Antigua at 9:40 am with seven people on board; six passengers and one pilot.

This is the second mishap for FlyMontserrat in nine days. On Sunday, October 7, 2012, a British Norman Islander nine-seat aircraft operated by the airline crashed shortly after takeoff from the V.C. Bird International Airport in Antigua. Two passengers and the pilot died in the crash.

On Tuesday, FlyMontserrat received a letter from the ECCAA restricting the airline from flying into any ECCAA country, following Tuesday morning’s incident at the John A. Osborne Airport.

Premier Reuben Meade confirmed that the airline is essentially grounded, now that they cannot complete their regularly scheduled flights to Nevis and Antigua, which they serve daily.

The ban will be in place until the airline meets certain requirements stipulated by the ECCAA.

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