Video: DHL cargo plane breaks in half after emergency crash landing in Costa Rica
Abdullateef Fowewe
A DHL cargo Boeing 757-200 plane dramatically broke into two pieces after an emergency crash landing at San José’s Juan Santamaría International Airport in Costa Rica.
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The plane, which had taken off for a flight to Guatemala, suffered a hydraulic failure shortly after departure, forcing the pilots to return for an emergency landing.
Upon landing, the aircraft skidded off the runway, spun 180 degrees, and broke apart near the rear wheels.
Despite the severity of the crash, the two crew members aboard were unharmed and quickly evacuated by emergency responders. One crew member was sent to the hospital for precautionary medical checks.
The accident caused the temporary closure of Costa Rica’s main airport and disrupted dozens of commercial and cargo flights, affecting thousands of passengers.
Airport operations resumed a few hours later as authorities worked to clear the wreckage and secure the area.
Investigations pinpointed the hydraulic failure as the cause of the crash.
Authorities and DHL have activated incident response teams to determine full details and prevent future occurrences.
The aircraft was ultimately written off due to the extent of the damage.
