Two Vietnam Airlines aircraft collided on a taxiway at Hanoi International Airport on Friday afternoon while preparing for takeoff.
At 2:23 p.m. local time, the right wingtip of a Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787 struck the vertical stabilizer of a stationary Airbus A321 preparing to takeoff.
The A321 was waiting on rapid-exit taxiway S3 near runway 11R/29L when the 787 was taxiing along taxiway S1 toward the same runway when the two aircraft collided at the S/S3 intersection.
The Northern Airports Authority reports the A321 may have stopped short of its designated holding point, contributing to the incident.
The Boeing 787 right-wingtip has struck the Airbus A321 upper vertical stabilizer. Debris from both aircraft was recovered on the taxiway.
Vietnam Airlines flight VN1804 to to Điện Biên was carrying 127 passengers while flight VN7205 to Ho Chi Minh City was carrying 259 passengers.
All occupants disembarked safely; no injuries were reported. Baggage was returned to Terminal 1.
Both aircraft were towed to remote stands for inspection and removed from service. Nội Bài officials, working with air traffic control and ground services, cleared the taxiway quickly, and airport operations continued with minimal disruption.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam has convened an investigation team to determine the cause and review safety procedures.
