Donnie Wahlberg says passengers are safe after jet skids off Las Vegas runway
The jet left the runway during an aborted takeoff at Harry Reid International Airport on October 18. The airport reported no known injuries and closed two runways for inspection.
A private jet carrying Donnie Wahlberg skidded off a runway during an aborted takeoff at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas on Sunday, October 18, and slid into a perimeter fence. Wahlberg said those aboard were safe, while the airport reported no known injuries at the time of its statement. The airport closed two runways for inspection, warning travelers of possible delays.
Wahlberg said in a video posted after the incident that the aircraft did not get airborne and ran out of runway. ‘I’m just going to tell you these pilots saved our lives. And God covered us,’ he said. It was not immediately clear why the takeoff was aborted.
Wahlberg’s account of the aborted takeoff
The Boston Globe reported that the plane was a Dassault Falcon 50 headed for Toronto. Wahlberg said he was traveling with members of his team and friends. He described the incident as ‘a rather intense few moments’ and said the aircraft took damage but the people aboard did not. The Globe, citing People, reported that eight people were on the plane.
Wahlberg shared the video after receiving concerned messages about the flight, according to Hindustan Times. He thanked the pilots for keeping the passengers safe and also thanked emergency personnel. He said the aircraft avoided trucks, heavy machinery and waste containers before coming to a stop at the fence.
Airport closes runways 1R and 1L for inspection
Harry Reid International Airport said runways 1R and 1L would close for inspection and travelers might experience delays, according to a statement quoted by The Boston Globe. The airport described the injury position as ‘no known injuries at this time.’ The statement gave an immediate account of the response, rather than a later assessment of the aircraft or the people aboard.
Wahlberg had been in Las Vegas for a performance with New Kids on the Block, whose residency at Dolby Park at Park MGM had just concluded, The Boston Globe reported. His account of the departing flight described how the aircraft left the runway; neither his account nor the airport statement established why the takeoff was aborted.
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Sources and context
- Donnie Wahlberg's private jet skids off Las Vegas runway, crashes into fence: ‘God covered us’Hindustan Times
- A shaken Donnie Wahlberg posts video after plane skids off runway at Vegas airport. ‘God covered us.’The Boston Globe (by Mark Shanahan; credits People for the eight-person count)
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.