Vietjet’s foreign pilots grounded after aircraft shoots off runway in HCMC

The Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) announced this without disclosing their names or nationalities.

It also set up an inspection team to investigate the incident, decode the black box of the Airbus A321neo aircraft and analyze the flight data.

The six flight attendants on the trip have also been suspended, though it is not clear why.

Flight VJ322, which had arrived from Phu Quoc Island with 217 passengers, landed at around noon at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport and skidded off the runway into a grass field.

Fortunately, no one was injured, but the accident affected dozens of other flights since the runway is the only operative one currently in operation with the other being closed for upgrades.

The low-cost airline blamed the heavy rain and strong winds for the accident.

Dinh Viet Thang, director of CAAV, too said unfavorable weather conditions were to blame.

"The Vietjet aircraft landed, moved a short distance before skidding off the runway," Thang said.

With Storm Nuri forming over the East Sea early on Saturday, heavy rains and strong winds have lashed many parts of southern Vietnam, including HCMC, during the weekend.

The airport shut down for six hours, affecting nearly 190 Vietnam Airlines, Jetstar Pacific and Bamboo Airways flights, which were delayed or had to be diverted at other airports.