Passengers on an "Air Congo" flight faced an exceptional situation at Kindu Airport in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where they remained trapped inside the aircraft for hours due to the absence of necessary stairs for disembarking.
A recently circulated video on the platform "X" shows passengers jumping from the main door of the aircraft onto the airport ground from a height of about five to six feet.
Aviation-specific accounts posted the clip showing passengers helping each other while jumping from the open door.
The circulated footage shows passengers handing their bags to ground staff before attempting to descend themselves, while a crew from "Air Congo" and airport staff wearing reflective vests inscribed with the French word "piste," meaning runway, were present, without taking safe alternatives for disembarkation.
Local police elements were seen at the scene of the incident, but they did not intervene to prevent the unsafe disembarking process.
The company refrained from deploying the evacuation slides, which are safety equipment used only once, due to the operational halt and high costs associated with their operation.
The U.S. aviation authorities estimated the cost of replacing the slide assembly on a "Boeing 737" at approximately $19,000, while the cost of inspection and repackaging amounts to more than $12,000, in addition to the potential downtime of the aircraft for hours or days, especially at airports lacking specialized maintenance teams.
The comments on the post specifically expressed concern for elderly travelers and those with special needs, describing the incident as a clear failure in the travel experience at remote airports.
It is noteworthy that the front doors of the Boeing 737 are designed at a height ranging between three and four meters above the ground, and falling from this height can lead to fractures and head or spinal injuries, especially without assistance or a controlled landing.
A similar incident was recorded in December 2024 when a crew member from the British company TUI fell and suffered multiple fractures requiring a long recovery period.
