Paris: El Al jet delayed after accident

Plane with 350 passengers seemingly collides with vehicle on runway; none hurt.

el al ben gurion 88 298 (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
el al ben gurion 88 298
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
An El Al flight from France to Israel was delayed Friday after an accident on the runway in Paris. The Boeing 747, carrying 350 passengers, was due to take off at 1 p.m. from Charles De Gaulle Airport. From the initial investigation, it appeared that the plane collided with a vehicle on the runway. No one was injured, and El Al technicians were attempting to repair the damage. After the apparent collision, the pilot aborted the take-off and all of the passengers were evacuated from the plane and taken to hotels in the French capital. The flight has been re-scheduled for Sunday. El Al said that the plane's engine was hit by a tow truck, adding that officials were still trying to determine the extent of the damage. From the preliminary checks, it appeared that the tow truck arrived in order to lead the plane towards the runway. As the truck approached the plane, a loud crash was heard coming from one of the wings.