‘Several days’ timeline for removal after Amazon Prime cargo plane slides off YVR runway

A runway at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) will be closed for approximately 48 hours after an Amazon PrimeAir cargo airplane ran off the airstrip during landing early Tuesday morning.

A runway at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) will be closed for approximately 48 hours after an Amazon PrimeAir cargo airplane ran off the airstrip during landing early Tuesday morning.

In a statement to 1130 NewsRadio, YVR says the incident happened around 1:45 a.m. when the aircraft “overran the eastern boundary of YVR’s North Runway.” CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO 1130 NEWSRADIO VANCOUVER LIVE!

“Safety and security are our top priorities. YVR Fire and Rescue attended. There were no injuries reported and the CargoJet crew of three were safely deplaned,” said Chloe Reynaud, communications specialist.

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The North Runway is closed while airport crews assess the plane, which is sitting near a fence by Templeton Street, and the runway. Reynaud shares that the will likely remain closed for 48 hours, and will have an impact on operations and flight schedules.

“Aircraft continue to arrive and depart on our South Runway. We encourage passengers to check with their airlines for current flight schedules and status before heading to YVR,” she added.



Pictures sent to 1130 NewsRadio show the aircraft sitting on its belly with the landing gear collapsed.

“This event will have an impact on YVR operations while we work to bring the North Runway safely back into operation. We encourage passengers to check with their airlines for current flight schedules and status,” Reynaud added.

YVR says further updates about the situation will be shared when they become available. Reynaud adds the airport has extra resources on hand to support travellers in the terminal.

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“We appreciate the work of those responding to the incident and everybody’s patience.”

In a statement, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) says it’s sending a team of investigators to YVR “following a runway overrun of a Boeing 767 operated by CargoJet Airways.”

“The TSB will gather information and assess the occurrence,” it said.

Speaking to media Tuesday afternoon, YVR CEO Tamara Vrooman says the airport is focused on removing the plane and returning the runway to full service. She says only about 5 per cent of the 600 flights arriving and departing from YVR Tuesday experienced any kind of delay.

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“Our attention now turns to the Transportation Safety Board to allow them to investigate the incident, what happened, what they need to do to secure the site, and then we will begin the process of removing the aircraft,” Vrooman explained. 

She says the aircraft is lying heavily in the grass, and the work to “dislodge” it could take several days.

“We need to get the cargo off the plane in order to make the plane light enough to move, and our team is working with the team at cargo jet, as well as the team that does heavy towing from Air Canada to remove the aircraft,” said Vrooman.

She explained that a makeshift road will likely need to be built over the grass to make the work possible, but only after the TSB has completed its investigation. Vrooman did not provide an exact timeline for the operation.

“In the meantime, all aircraft are landing and departing from our South runway with little disruption to our operations.”

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