Teesside Airport Remains Closed After Aircraft Incident

Following the light aircraft crash at Teesside International Airport (MME), the airport operators have decided to close the airport until Monday. On Saturday morning around 09:39 BST, the plane crashed within the airports’ perimeter while attempting to takeoff.

Teesside International Airport (MME
A light plane crash has caused Teesside International Airport (MME) to close for two days. Photo: The joy of all things via Wikipedia

The airport’s emergency services were the first on the scene, followed by two ambulances from the North East Ambulance Service and an air rescue helicopter. According to reports, the pilot and two passengers have been transported to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough.

One person in the plane suffered serious injuries

One of the people involved in the crash was seriously injured and transported to the trauma center by the Great North Air Ambulance Service. The other two people onboard the plane made the 13-mile journey from the airport to the hospital by ambulance.

When speaking about the accident, the BBC quotes an airport spokesperson as saying:

“We are hopeful the airport will reopen on Monday 27 September. We apologize for any inconvenience caused and thank all of our passengers who have been very understanding today.

“All of our thoughts and prayers are with the three people onboard at the time of the incident and their families.”

When talking about the accident, County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service general manager, Rob Cherrie said:

“The light aircraft had taken off then come back down again very quickly,” and fire crews had been “forced to cut the three people out of the plane.”

A spokesperson for the North East Ambulance Service said that the organization sent two ambulances, a specialist paramedic, an officer, and asked for help from the Great North Air Ambulance. Altogether, three patients were taken to hospital, with one having serious injuries.

The engine went silent

When speaking to the ChronicalLive, an anonymous witness who was tending to a horse in a nearby field said:

“I heard the plane engine start to sputter, then looked up to see it bank left sharply. The engine sounded like it was really struggling, then it just seemed to cut out. It looked like the pilot managed to keep the plane fairly level as it started to come down, but then it just dropped rapidly, then I heard a thud behind the tree line. Thankfully, there was no explosion or fire. I phoned the emergency services immediately, and the air ambulance arrived about 20 to 30 minutes later.”

Loganair Embraer
Loganair offers three flights a day to London Heathrow from MME. Photo: Getty Images.

All flights arriving at Teesside International Airport (MME) were diverted to Newcastle International Airport (NCL) 44 miles away.

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About Teesside International Airport (MME)

Teesside International Airport (MME) is located in the northeast of England, ten miles southwest of Middlesbrough in North Yorkshire. Constructed in 1941 as a Royal Airforce Station, RAF Middleton St. George was the most northerly Bomber Command airfield. During the war is was a base for the Avro Lancaster bomber and from where British and Canadian airmen took off to bomb Germany.

 Teesside International Airpor
KLM offers a daily flight from MME to AMS. Image: Teesside International Airport.

In 1964 the airfield was opened as a civil airport and had various names until being branded as Teesside International Airport for the second time in 2019. From MME, KLM operates a daily flight to Amsterdam while Loganair offers flights to various cities in the United Kingdom. During the summer season, Irish LCC Ryanair provides flights for popular summer holiday destinations around the Mediterranean.

Have you flown from MME? If so, please tell us what you think of the airport in the comments.



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