THE Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe said it reported a false plane accident at Harare's airport earlier Thursday as part of a training exercise.
The CEO of the Civil Aviation Authority David Chawota told international media that a Boeing 767 had an accident while landing on a flight from London, but 90 minutes later officials said they were just conducting a drill.
"This was a usual drill for the period. We do this once every three years. This was for the benefit of our police personnel, security, aviation, medics, hospital -- everyone was involved," Chawota said. "This exercise helps the general preparedness of our facilities here."
Police Assistant Commissioner Cannan Mugumira added: "What we had today was a normal airport drill just to see how our systems respond to emergencies.
"From our assessment, the excursion was a success.”
Journalists arrived at the airport to see smoke rising from one of the runways as ambulances raced to the scene. The journalists were then taken to a room at the airport and told to wait.
Some international media reports began speculating that the plane involved in the accident belonged to flag carrier Air Zimbabwe. However, Air Zimbabwe’s General Manager for Europe David Mwenga said their 767 to Zimbabwe was only leaving London later Thursday.
Air Zimbabwe CEO Peter Chikumba said he had also been alerted by the aviation authority to an accident.
Aviation boss Chawota had told media that an emergency help desk had been set up for victims and their families.
Foreign airlines said the drill had been conducted as a surprise.
"We also didn't know anything about it," a Kenya Airways official said.
Mwenga told New Zimbabwe.com in London: “We have been informed that it was a drill. What usually happens is that they burn tyres on one of the runways to test the preparedness of our emergency services.”