AIR Zimbabwe said Monday that one of its three Boeing 737s flying from Victoria Falls to Harare had an onboard fire scare as it flew over Gokwe.
The plane landed at the Harare International Airport under emergency procedures, but initial tests showed there was no fire, the airline’s chief executive Peter Chikumba said.
Pilots feared their jet was stricken after an engine fire warning came through the cockpit during the hour-long flight.
"The crew carried out standard procedures and landed the aircraft normally at Harare International Airport. Initial inspections by our engineers established the fire warning was false," said Chikumba.
The airline said the plane would be grounded, and Boeing engineers could be brought in to establish the source of the fire warning.
Air Zimbabwe did not say how many passengers were onboard the afternoon flight, although the plane has 12 business class and 93 economy seats. Domestic flights normally have two flight staff and four cabin crew.
Most of those onboard would have been tourists and business executives coming from the country’s premier resort town which is also a gateway to Zambia.
In April, one of Air Zimbabwe’s three Chinese Xian MA 60 turboprops planes developed engine problems as it flew into Harare from Bulawayo, forcing pilots to shut one engine. The plane landed safely.
Chikumba said Air Zimbabwe had one of the best safety records in the industry with no fatal accident since 1980.