Malawi bound plane’s wheel catches fire at OR Tambo

A Global Airways charter plane caught fire while it was aborting take-off at OR Tambo International Airport on Tuesday morning, the Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) said.

A tyre exploded, causing the landing gear of the plane to catch fire, Acsa spokesman Solomon Makgale said.

The aircraft, destined for Lilongwe, Malawi, was carrying 120 passengers and seven crew.

No injuries were reported and the fire was extinguished.

Only one runway was operating at the airport following the accident.

According to its website, Global Airways has a fleet of 15 passenger and freight aircraft operating in Africa and the Middle East. Its maintenance and operations control centre is located at OR Tambo.