WATCH: Cellphone video shot by Westjet passenger Allen Ahi shows passengers deplaning from flight WS588 after it skidded off the runway in Montreal.
MONTREAL — A WestJet plane has skidded off the runway while landing at Montreal–Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport Friday afternoon.
The airline tweeted confirmation of the incident at 3:44 p.m., writing:
Flight #WS588, Toronto to Montreal, exited the runway onto the grass upon arrival. All guests and crew reported safe. More to follow.
Richard Bartrem, a spokesperson for the airline, told Global News there was no visible damage to the aircraft after the plane skidded off the end of the runway and came to a stop on the grass.
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“Our primary concern is for the safety and well-being of our guests and crew,” he wrote in an email.
“All guests and crew are reported safe at this time.”
“We began offloading guests at 1951Z with all guests exiting the aircraft via air stairs and then walking to the bus provided by YUL airport authorities.
“Friends and family have been gathered together to await their loved ones in arrivals.”
Transportation Safety Board to investigate
“Operations at the airport have not been affected,” noted spokesperson Marie-Claude Desgagnes a spokesperson for Montreal’s airport authority.
“The Transportation Safety Board is en route and will be investigating.”
WATCH: Passengers and crew were uninjured after a WestJet has skidded off the runway while landing at Trudeau Airport in Montreal on Friday. Gregg Brown was a passenger on flight #WS588 and described what happened.
Westjet confirmed the remaining two flights for the aircraft have been cancelled and passengers swapped onto a new aircraft.
The plane will be removed for a full inspection as soon as WestJet receives clearance from the Transportation Safety Board to move the plane.
Passenger reaction
A passenger on the plane shared a photo on social media, suggesting the plane slid off the runway because of accumulating water.
https://twitter.com/RocknMom/status/606904094431813632/photo/1
Maggie Di Pasquale told Global News that despite the incident, everyone on the plane was in good spirits.
“We are all very happy to be safe,” she said in a message.
“Well organized and super efficient extraction! Spirits are really good we all feel very fortunate because it Could have been much worse!”
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