“We are not sure but we are conducting a thorough investigation.
“It is just like having a flat tyre but this tyre is very expensive.
“It did some damage to the aircraft but there was no drama.
“We apologise for the delay. Safety always comes first,” Bellew said.
He was referring to two tyres of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH726 that deflated upon landing at the KL International Airport (KLIA) yesterday.
Following the incident involving a Boeing 738 aircraft, KLIA’s runway 2 was closed indefinitely. Nobody was reported injured.
Meanwhile, the transport ministry has directed the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) to conduct a thorough investigation into the mishap.
Its minister, Liow Tiong Lai, said the ministry viewed the incident seriously and an investigation was being conducted to determine its cause.
“I have ordered DCA to submit a report on the investigation. We know the mishap should not have taken place.
“It is a serious incident because it rarely takes place. We will investigate any incident, no matter how small. Wait for the report.
“We will investigate from all angles, including the tyres used, the runway and whether it was very windy.
“We will also check MAS’ maintenance records to get to the root of the incident.”
He said DCA director-general Azharuddin Abdul Rahman would be involved in the investigation.
Liow said this when he was met by reporters after an event at Bangunan Perdana Putra here today.