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Oswell Moyo Chronicle Reporter
AN Air Zimbabwe passenger plane flying from Harare to Bulawayo was forced to make a U-turn after it failed to land at the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport on Wednesday evening due to the runway edge lights that failed to function.Passengers said they were told the heavy rains that hit the city on Wednesday afternoon had damaged the runway edge lights making it difficult for the plane to land.

The aeroplane, MA 60, was forced to return to Harare as a result.

The airplane was supposed to land at the Bulawayo airport at about 7.20PM after departing Harare at 6PM.

Chomi Makina, the President of Funeral Services Association in Zimbabwe ( FUSA) who was among the passengers on board the plane said, they were informed by the crew that the runway edge lights were not functioning while the plane was in  Shurugwi.

“We were in Shurugwi when crew members alerted us that the runway lights were no longer functioning due to heavy rains. The pilot continued with the flight hoping that by the time we arrived at the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Airport, everything would be normal. The plane had to hover around  for close to 20 minutes before going back to Harare,” said Makina.

Disgruntled passengers yesterday castigated the Joshua Mqabuko International Airport management for failing to put in place measures to guard against such mishaps during the rain season.

The airline public relations manager,  Shingi Taruvinga Dhliwayo confirmed receiving a report on the runway lights.

Dhliwayo said the runway edge lights were the responsibility of the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe.

“I can confirm receiving the report that one of our airplanes failed to land at Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Airport prompting it to return back to Harare. You can ask Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe who should be in a better position to explain the problem,” said Dhliwayo.

Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe Chief Executive Officer, David Chiwota, could not be reached for comment as his phone was unreachable.

This is the third time that an Air Zimbabwe plane from Harare to Bulawayo has failed to land at the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport.

At one time the plane was forced to fly back to Harare because of a technical fault. In September last year, Air Zimbabwe Boeing 737 developed a mechanical fault just after takeoff from Harare.

Air Zimbabwe is facing a cocktail of problems, some of them a result of mismanagement and corruption which saw the company losing more than $11 million  in an insurance scam.