United Airlines flight UA 35, departing from San Francisco International Airport, was diverted after takeoff on Thursday due to a tire incident. Shortly after its 11 a.m. PST departure, one of the Boeing 777-200's six landing gear tires detached, falling into a parking lot and damaging several cars. The flight, en route to Osaka, Japan, rerouted to Los Angeles International Airport, landing at 1:39 p.m. according to FlightAware.
The runway at San Francisco International Airport was briefly closed to clear debris. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. United Airlines promptly arranged for a replacement aircraft to continue the journey for the 249 passengers affected by the diversion.
United Airlines praised the professionalism of its pilots and flight attendants in managing the situation. They also thanked ground teams for quickly moving the aircraft upon landing and airport staff for assisting passengers in Los Angeles.
The airline confirmed that the Boeing 777-200 is designed to land safely with missing or damaged tires. United Airlines stated that they would collaborate with affected customers and car owners to address their needs. Aviation expert David Evans described the incident as rare but not unprecedented. He commended the airline's decision to divert the flight to ensure safety before a long overseas journey, highlighting that no one was in danger due to the pilots' training.
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