BULLET holes have been discovered in a critical area of an American Airlines plane after it was shot at.
The flight had just landed in Miami after travelling on a regional circuit between Florida and Colombia.
Located in the aircraft’s wing assembly, the total amount of bullet holes found has not been revealed.
The aircraft had flown passengers from Miami to Medellin’s Jose Maria Cordova International Airport on Sunday, before it was grounded overnight in Colombia.
The return flight touched down in Miami at 10.24am on Monday, before maintenance crews were able to carry out the routine checks.
Passengers had already been deplaned at the time of the shock discovery.
Crews noticed puncture marks on the right aileron, which is a critical control surface responsible for the aircraft’s roll and lateral balance.
The origins of the gunfire are still being investigated, however the location and pattern of the punctures strongly suggest ballistic impact.
Investigators have not yet confirmed the calibre or trajectory.
But the incident has raised immediate security concerns for the ground environment in Medellin or potential low-altitude activity during the flight’s arrival or departure at the international airport.
Despite the impairment to the crucial area, the flight made the three-hour journey over the Caribbean without issue and landed safely.
The airline told the New York Post that there had been no flight-related issues or injuries on board related to the shocking damage.
In a statement, a spokesperson said: “The aircraft was immediately removed from service for further inspection and repair”.
“We will work closely with all relevant authorities to investigate this incident,” they added.
It remains unclear how many passengers were on board the damaged flight.
American Airlines technicians have performed structural patching at the Miami airport.
The repairs will stabilize the wing’s surface area.
The plane was then transported on a non-commercial flight to the airline’s primary maintenance hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International airport on Monday evening.
The aircraft remains grounded at the hub.
Specialized engineers are slated to complete comprehensive tests to ensure internal hydraulics or wiring weren’t damaged by the bullets.
The shocking discovery has come just weeks after a pilot and co-pilot were shot dead in Indonesia.
The pair had landed the flight just moments before unknown gunmen stormed the plane and executed them.
The Smart Air aircraft came under attack after flying into Korowai Batu Airport in South Papua, Indonesia on February 11.
When shooting began, the 13 passengers onboard – including a toddler -fled into a forest area nearby.
The pilot sent out an emergency message via GPS, informing authorities crew had been shot at and had run into the trees with passengers to save themselves.
“There’s no signal, please track it. In Koroway we’re being shot at,” the chilling last message read.
But before they could reach safety the pilot and co-pilot were “captured and executed” on the runway, local Police Chief Wisnu Perdana Putra said.
“The pilot and co-pilot were chased by the perpetrator, taken out of the forest and back to the airport, then killed there. Both died on the spot,” he added.
It remains unclear who carried out the attack, as authorities continue to investigate the incident.
Source: The Sun
