On the night of this Tuesday (26), a Boeing 737-800 with registration CP-3138 from BoA (Boliviana de Aviación) collided with a pack of dogs that invaded the runway of El Alto airport serving La Paz, while it was on its takeoff run from runway 28 operating flight OB625 to Cochabamba.
The airline reported through a press release that the landing gear and other parts of the Boeing 737-800 were affected, leading to the passengers disembarking on the runway and being transferred to the airport terminal. The aircraft was subsequently towed to be able to restart operations at the airport.
This caused six flights originating from and destined for La Paz to be affected. It was only at 11:37 PM local time, almost three hours after the incident, that a first BoA flight from Cochabamba could land, although the airport itself officially reopened after 10:30 PM.
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«We highlight the pilot’s skill in controlling the aircraft at a critical moment of operation such as takeoff,» BoA stated through a statement.
«We reiterate our utmost commitment to operational safety and the well-being of all passengers,» they added.
In a video published on social networks, passengers disembarking and some minor damages to the landing gear can be seen.
A representative from NAABOL (Bolivian Air Navigation and Airports), told the media that «an evaluation will be conducted with the operational area to determine how these dogs could have entered and to take corrective measures.»
El Alto airport is located in the town of the same name, surrounded by one of the most populous sectors of the La Paz metropolitan area, which makes it vulnerable to incidents of this nature.
