ABIDJAN, Côte d’Ivoire – An Air France flight arriving from Paris caused a security stir at Félix Houphouët-Boigny International Airport on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, after a wrong turn led the massive aircraft into a restricted military area.
Wrong Turn After Touchdown
Flight AF702, an Airbus A350-900 (registration F-HUVM), had completed a smooth six-hour journey from Paris-Charles de Gaulle. The aircraft landed normally on Runway 03 at 19:27 GMT.
The trouble began during the taxiing phase. According to a statement from the Ivorian Ministry of Transport, the control tower instructed the crew to proceed to the civilian parking terminal via a parallel taxiway. However, the pilots mistakenly turned onto a ramp leading directly to the Abidjan Military Air Base.
Logistical Deadlock
The military taxiway was not designed to accommodate an aircraft of the A350’s dimensions. The wide-body jet quickly became immobilized on the narrow pavement, unable to maneuver further or turn around.
- Passengers: 283
- Crew: 12
- Outcome: No injuries were reported.
Ground crews were forced to deploy specialized towing equipment to extract the aircraft from the military zone and bring it to the civilian stand, where passengers finally disembarked several hours behind schedule.
Cancellations and Technical Checks
While the landing was technically sound, the “navigation error” on the ground had significant ripple effects:
- Flight Cancellation: The return flight to Paris (AF703), scheduled for later that night, was canceled.
- Technical Inspection: Air France dispatched a technical team from Paris to Abidjan to inspect the aircraft’s landing gear and tires for any damage sustained while taxiing on the non-standard surface.
- Investigation: Ivorian aviation authorities have opened an inquiry into the communication between the cockpit and the tower to determine how the high-capacity jet ended up in a high-security military zone.
