The DC-10 aircraft that crash-landed at Chittagong airport Friday could not be salvaged even yesterday, with sources blaming lack of logistics and poor co-ordination among Biman, civil aviation authorities and army.
The delay has thrown into a spin the resumption of international flight operations at Shah Amanat International Airport till, sources said.
Biman Bangladesh Airline's BG-048 flight from Dubai with 215 passengers on board skidded off the runway after it was forced to make a belly-landing "due to technical faults".
However, Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (Caab) Chairman
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Harun Chowdhury, who went to the airport yesterday afternoon, was upbeat about the plane being salvaged by today.
He told reporters they would try to lift the aircraft away this morning by cranes either to the tarmac or to the makeshift platform 150-feet away from the runway for resumption of international flights from this evening.
De-fuelling and lightening of the aircraft, and removal of all equipment and seats have so far been complete and the aircraft now weighs 117 tonnes against 183 tonnes at the time of belly-landing.
On the sixth day yesterday, the rear wheels were still stuck in kneedeep mud, while the nose and front wheel were lifted up using a 90-tonne specially built trolley.
Sources, however, doubt that the plane would be salvaged by today.
"From what I have seen in the last few days, I really doubt whether the plane would be salvaged even tomorrow (Thursday) because the cranes and other logistics are not technically suitable for the job," said an airport official, preferring to remain unnamed.
Biman's Station Manager SR Khan, Airport Manager Squadron Leader Shahin Farhad and Commanding Officer of army rescue team Col Masud denied having problems with co-ordination and the technical drawback.
They said they were putting in their best efforts to salvage the plane, but would not specify any time or date.
"We do not have any lacking in our efforts to salvage the aircraft as early as possible," the station manager told reporters yesterday.
The airport manager Shahin Farhad claimed that they have had all the logistics on hand.
Biman authorities yesterday cancelled two direct flights from Chittagong to Abu Dhabi and
Muscat, which were scheduled to depart at 8:45pm and 9:45pm today. They have made alternative arrangements for the passengers.
"Three extra domestic flights (F-28) have been arranged for passengers of the two flights tonight (Wednesday) from Chittagong to Dhaka and they (passengers) can take their flights from Dhaka to Abu Dhabi and Muscat," said a Biman official yesterday afternoon.
The Dubai-bound Biman flight (BG-047) has also been rescheduled and it will now fly at 9:25am tomorrow (Friday) instead of 8:45pm today (Thursday), if the DC-10 is salvaged by then, the sources said.