:quality(85)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/infobae/VHTRNSCWA5AK3MMY4VTKFD7FIY.jpeg "Boeing again: a United Airlines flight had to make an emergency landing after losing one of its tires")
A United Airlines Boeing 777-200 lost a tire during takeoff at San Francisco International Airport in California, prompting a diversion of its route to Los Angeles. The incident occurred on Thursday, March 7, 2024, but fortunately, no injuries were reported among passengers or crew.
The tire detachment happened during the takeoff phase at around 11:35 a.m. local time, with the debris falling in an airport employee parking lot, causing damage to several vehicles. The airport had to briefly close one of its runways to clean up the remains of the tire.
United Airlines, in a press release, expressed gratitude to their pilots and flight attendants for their professionalism in handling the situation. The airline also announced that they would work with the owners of the affected vehicles to ensure their needs are met.
Despite the incident, United Airlines organized a new plane for the passengers to continue their journey to Osaka, which was scheduled for the same afternoon. This incident has gained attention, given recent similar episodes affecting aviation, including a Boeing 757 losing a nose gear tire during taxiing in Atlanta in January.
The safety of Boeing planes has been under scrutiny, especially after an access door fell off a Boeing 737 Max 9 in mid-flight in January. The FAA grounded over 170 jets to conduct investigations, which revealed issues like loose bolts and improperly drilled holes in some aircraft fuselages. The FAA has announced an investigation into the in-flight tire detachment of the United Airlines Boeing 777-200.