Plane tyre bursts on landing at Cape Town airport, disrupting flights

An airplane's tyre burst on landing at Cape Town International Airport on Tuesday afternoon, causing flight disruptions as the main runway was closed though all passengers disembarked the plane safely.

South Africa's airports management company said the Kenya Airways aircraft was disabled on the main runway for several hours before the runway could reopen and flights resume.

Earlier, flights into Cape Town had been diverted to other airports and international departures put on hold.

Some flights may still be delayed as operations return to normal, Airports Company South Africa said in a statement.

Kenya Airways said in a post on X that its engineers and technical team were working to get the plane fixed.

Cape Town is a popular tourist city and its international airport the second-busiest in South Africa.

NOTICE | Operational Update
Runway operations have resumed at Cape Town International Airport. Some flight delays may still occur as airlines recover their schedules. Check the ACSA Mobile App for the latest flight information. Thank you for your patience. pic.twitter.com/cpIxVcDXHA

— Cape Town Airport (@capetownint) August 4, 2026

(1/3) NOTICE: Operational Update

Cape Town International Airport is currently experiencing operational disruptions following a tyre failure involving Kenya Airways flight KQ784, which landed at approximately 15h25. pic.twitter.com/7yAeNpT6df

— Cape Town Airport (@capetownint) August 4, 2026