SINGAPORE (May 9): A Singapore Airlines Boeing 777-300ER aborted a takeoff from Seoul on May 5, following an unauthorised incursion by a Korean Air aircraft in a taxiway that puts it in a path that will cut across the runway.

The takeoff was aborted on the instruction of Incheon air traffic control.

Flight SQ16 was heading to San Francisco and carried 186 passengers and 18 crew members. Korean Air KE-929, an Airbus 330-200, was heading to St Petersburg. It carried 188 passengers.

The incident was confirmed by SIA.

“Affected passengers were provided with hotel accommodation. Following replacement of the tyres, the aircraft departed for San Francisco at 1305hrs (Seoul Time), 6 May, resulting in a delay of about 19hrs behind the original scheduled time of departure,” the spokesperson adds.

The Edge Singapore has learned that six of the 14 tires were deflated by the force of the emergency braking, with damage especially heavy on the left main under carriage.

According to the Korea IT Times, authorities are said to be investigating the incident and will be releasing its report in two to three weeks’ time.

SIA, as at 1.53 pm, was up 13 cents to $11.28.