President of Zimbabwe Stuck In New York: Aircraft burst four of its rear tires

Harare, September 24, 2011- Zimbabwe’s aging leader, President Robert Mugabe and several government officials are stuck in New York after an Air Zimbabwe plane that was supposed to ferry them back home burst its tires on Friday.

Informed sources said the long haul aircraft burst four of its rear tires as a result of hard landing when it landed at an airport in New York to pick up the aging leader and his delegation which include ministers and senior government officials who had been in the US attending the UN summit.

The sources said the aircraft which was parked at an airforce base close to New York burst its tires as it landed at an airport in New York due to bad weather.

Engineers traveling with Mugabe secured two tires to replace the burst ones in the US and were on Saturday awaiting delivery of the fourth tire from Air Zimbabwe’s spares store in London.

The tire burst resulted in the cancellation of Mugabe’s flight on Friday. The Zimbabwean leader was scheduled to arrive in the country on Saturday. He is now expected to leave on Saturday and arrive in the country on Sunday on condition that the tire from London arrives on time in New York.

Sources said engineers on Saturday faced another challenge as they were failing to fix one of the tyres which was reportedly not compatible with the specifications on the aged aircraft.

The sources said the aircraft’s captain identified as Madungure was likely to be in trouble for botching the octogenarian leader’s trip.

Mugabe chartered one of Air Zimbabwe aged planes to travel to New York to attend the just ended UN session. He traveled with Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and Health and Child Welfare Minister Henry Madzorera and other government officials.

Vice President Joyce Mujuru also chartered an Air Zimbabwe plane this week when she traveled for the swearing in ceremony of Zambian new leader Michael Sata.

Air Zimbabwe has in recent months been rocked by a plethora of problems ranging from wild cat strikes, fuel shortages and mismanagement.

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