A LOT Polish Airlines aircraft arriving from Warsaw slid off the taxiway after landing at Vilnius Airport on Thursday, prompting authorities to temporarily close the runway, airport officials said. The closure was extended at least until 22:00.
The Embraer E170STD, operating as flight LO771, touched down at 13:43 but veered off the paved surface while taxiing toward its stand, said Tadas Vasiliauskas, a spokesperson for Lithuanian Airports.
“After landing, the aircraft slid off the taxiway while taxiing toward the parking area,” Vasiliauskas said.
Flight-tracking data showed the plane stopped on the northern side of the airport, where several service vehicles – including a fire engine – surrounded the aircraft. Passengers were being disembarked as of early afternoon.
Vilnius Airport closed its runway temporarily following the incident, with the closure expected to last at least until 17:00. It was later extended until 22:00.
There were no immediate reports of injuries, and the cause of the slide was not yet known.
The Ministry of Transport and Communications said that shortly after the incident, the Lithuanian Airports (LTOU) Emergency Commission called a meeting at the airport, attended by Transport Minister Juras Taminskas, representatives of the Ministry of Justice, and LTOU executives.
“No passengers were injured, and the circumstances of the incident are being investigated,” the statement said.
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