Boeing 737 landing aborted as small aircraft vacated runway

The Ryanair flight travelling from Liverpool to Londonderry at approximately 10.55am on Saturday was instructed by Air Traffic Control (ATC) at Eglinton to "go around" for safety reasons.

A spokesperson for the airport authority said that a light aircraft was slow to vacate the runway on Saturday morning resulting in ATC advising an inbound Ryanair flight from Liverpool to go around in order to maintain a safe separation between the aircraft.

The Ryanair aircraft went around and landed normally.

The spokesperson added: "The go-around is a normal safety precaution and the airport authority is satisfied that the proper procedures were followed to ensure the safety of passengers and aircraft."

But an aviation enthusiast from Eglinton who was listening into the radio traffic at the time told the Sentinel the small aircraft "apparently got into difficulties" whilst taxiing at the airport.

He added: "The aircraft had to abort its approach at the last minute and make a 180 degree turn into low cloud. The aircraft had to circle the airport at 2,000 feet for several minutes before landing safely a few minutes later."

But a spokesperson for the airport authority said there was no issue with the light aircraft other than it was slow to vacate the runway.

A spokesperson for the airline told the Sentinel: "The FR 9884 (6th Feb) operated a routine, precautionary, 'go around' during its approach to Derry Airport at the request of Air Traffic Control.

"Such 'go arounds' are not unusual and pose no risk as the aircraft and Air Traffic Control remain in constant communication."