Baggage Truck Crash Causes US$1 Million Damages to China Airlines

China Airlines has estimated that the damages caused after a baggage conveyor truck crashed into its airplane at a Vietnamese airport on Thursday may cost up to US$1 million.

The incident happened when the conveyor truck of Tan Son Nhat International Airport Ground Services (TIAGS) approached the airplane to unload baggage at Tan Son Nhat Airport, Ho Chi Minh City.

According to the Southern Airports Authority, the truck driver "mistook the gas for the brake" and crashed into the lower rear part of the plane.

The crash caused a 20 cm by 100 cm (7.8 in by 39 in) dent in the Airbus A330.

"We consider this a serious accident that affect the plane structure. Estimated damages are worth up to US$1 million," a source from the carrier told Thanh Nien.

TIAGS has assigned personnel to handle the issue while the final cost of damages will be calculated later, according to the airline.

Lai Xuan Thanh, Director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, said the incident was caused by "a human error."

China Airlines said more than 300 passengers had to wait for 15 hours before they could board another plane to resume the flight from HCMC to Taiwan at 1:40 a.m. on Friday.

Engineers from Taiwan were sent to Tan Son Nhat to repair the plane, which can take up to three days, the carrier said.