VIDEO: Airplane Collides with Runway Lights, Sustains Damage; Passengers Evacuated

An Air Serbia airplane collided with runway lighting equipment at Belgrade's airport, resulting in a breach in the fuselage. For unknown reasons, the aircraft initiated its takeoff from the middle of the runway, gained altitude for 20 minutes, made several turns, and returned to the departing airport. This was reported by РБК.

Six fire engines were waiting for the plane upon landing. The aircraft was carrying 132 passengers, according to Shot. After landing, the passengers were evacuated from the Embraer.

Preliminary reports suggest that the cause of the emergency was that the takeoff was conducted from an incomplete length of the runway, and the crew miscalculated. The plane, en route from Belgrade to Düsseldorf, made an emergency landing at Nikola Tesla Airport at a significantly higher speed (about 70 km/h above the norm). This likely occurred due to the aircraft's flaps not functioning properly. All passengers were evacuated, and preliminary information indicates that no one was injured.