Air Zimbabwe plane smashes into 5 wild pigs on takeoff; plane damaged but passengers unhurt

Associated Press
11/05/09 4:05 AM PST

HARARE, ZIMBABWE — Zimbabwe's transport ministry says one of the national airline's planes collided with five wild pigs on the runway in the capital during takeoff.

Transport Minister Nicholas Goche said in a statement Thursday that the Air Zimbabwe plane was headed from Harare to Bulawayo when the crash occurred Tuesday. All 34 people on board were evacuated safely.

Goche's statement says the plane was damaged in the crash. The plane's undercarriage collapsed on impact and it veered off the runway, damaging the plane's nose, one engine and the wing.

Goche did not say what became of the pigs.

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