Gambiaj.com – (DAKAR) – A chartered aircraft operated by Air Senegal veered off the runway during takeoff for Bamako, Mali, late Wednesday night at Blaise Diagne International Airport (AIBD), resulting in a fire in one of the engines and eleven recorded injuries. Among the more than 70 passengers on board, five individuals shared their terrifying ordeal with the Senegalese daily,  ‘L’Observateur.’

Mounirou Konaré, a 68-year-old Malian retiree, recounted the sequence of events: “The plane crashed, the tires burst. The flight was canceled on Tuesday, and the passengers slept at the airport. On Wednesday, Air Senegal took a Transair flight to bring us to Bamako. The pilot tried to take off without success, and the plane suddenly returned to the ground. The bard commander told us that a warning light came on. He walked in circles for 15 minutes. Then, he tried to force himself to take flight. We felt a noise as if he was pulling the plane himself. Barely 30 or 40 meters, the plane crashed. The tires burst, and the left fender caught fire.”

Daouda Cissokho, a 69-year-old Malian business manager, expressed his relief at surviving the incident: “We escaped death. In my opinion, the pilot knew that the plane was not in good condition. Because he had made a first takeoff attempt. It did not work. He reassured us that it was a small technical problem. It was during the second takeoff that the plane fell. He derailed completely off the track.”

Aïssata Wane, a 50-year-old Senegalese businesswoman, criticized the lack of communication from the airline: “What shocked me was that when the plane crashed, the pilot lost control, and we ended up in the bush. A gentleman opened an emergency exit. He forced it, and he had a small opening. That’s what we went through. I sneaked out. I walked on the wing. I jumped in and made my way.”

AN D, a 36-year-old Senegalese sales agent, described the chaotic scene inside the aircraft: “Once all the passengers boarded the plane, we stayed for almost forty minutes. Because apparently there were passengers missing from the roll call. There was panic on board. It was screaming in every direction. Fortunately, everyone had their seat belts on. I saw sparks through the porthole.”

Ibrahima Diallo, a 19-year-old Malian footballer, blamed the pilot for the incident: “It’s the pilot’s fault. He played with our lives, saying we’ll try another take off attempt.”

The quick response of the Senegalese firefighters prevented a larger disaster, and despite the injuries, all passengers survived the incident. The exact cause of the runway excursion is under investigation, and Air Senegal has not yet issued a statement regarding the incident.