On the snowy evening of December 21, a seemingly routine journey turned abrupt for an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 787-8, registered ET-ATH, at Oslo Airport, Norway. Destined for Stockholm Arlanda, Sweden, as flight ET715, the aircraft veered off the right side of runway 01L during the early acceleration phase of takeoff. This incident occurred amid the harsh conditions of storm Pia, characterized by snowfall and gusty winds, leading to the Dreamliner obstructing the southern part of the runway.

As the aircraft found itself immobilized on the runway, quick assistance came in the form of a tow truck. Cathrine Framholdt, a spokesperson for Oslo Airport, confirmed the incident, reassuring that there were no injuries among the passengers and no damage to the 787. The situation unfolded as the aircraft transitioned from de-icing to takeoff, necessitating intervention. Framholdt communicated to the Norwegian press the expectation that the plane would resume normal operation post-assistance, indicating no severe implications from the incident.

Following the runway mishap, Ethiopian Airlines decided to cancel the ongoing flight to Stockholm and the subsequent flight from Stockholm to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This decision was reflected in the real-time flight tracking data on Flightradar24.com. As storm Pia lashed across Norway and much of Europe, causing extreme weather conditions, Oslo Airport contended with not only the stranded aircraft but also widespread flight cancellations and technical disruptions, impacting its operations and passenger schedules.

Cover photo Mili Daniel via Aeronews