(CNN) – An Ethiopian Airlines plane mistakenly landed at an unopened airport still under construction in Zambia, the airline confirmed on Monday.
The flight, a cargo service traveling from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and bound for Ndola, Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe Airport, landed on Sunday at Zambia’s newly opened Copperbelt International Airport on Sunday. as reported by the airline in a statement.
The flight, ET 3891, landed safely at the new airport, Ethiopian Airlines added.
Copperbelt International Airport is approximately 21 kilometers (13 miles) from Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe Airport by car.
Permanent Secretary of Transport Ministry Misheck Lungu told AFP news agency that the pilot had landed at the airport unopened “by mistake”.
“When he was about to land he communicated with the radar and they told him,‘ We can’t see you, ’Lungu told AFP.
“So he used sight because he had no control and landed at an airport still under construction.”
Ethiopian Airlines said: “While the details of the incident are being investigated in coordination with Zambia’s aviation authorities, the fact that no NOTAM (notice to aviators) was issued on the construction of the new airport which has the same runway orientation as the existing one and the proximity between the two airports may have contributed to the incident. ”
“As always, Ethiopian Airlines takes flight safety very seriously and considers it the top priority and will therefore take all necessary corrective and preventive measures in accordance with the results of the investigation,” the statement added.
According to Zambia Airports Corporation Limited (ZACL), which manages the country’s international airports, the new airport is expected to be completed by October 2020. But construction was delayed due to the pandemic, and the facility was should end this year, ZACL told CNN.
ZACL added that the new airport where the plane landed has a completely complete runway and, as of last month, the rest of the facility is completed with at least 88%.
ZACL said the new airport, which was originally to be renamed Copperbelt International Airport, should now adopt the name of the existing one, Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe Airport, with the original site returning to the original name of Ndola International Airport and is no longer used for commercial flights.