Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The issue regarding the Talofa Airways aircraft landing incident on July 21, 2024 at the Pago Pago International Airport was brought up by the chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee Senator Malaepule Saite Moliga yesterday, during the first Senate regular session after the Fono's four-week recess.

Malaepule told the Senate that he had discussed the matter with President Tuaolo Manaia Fruean on Monday, July 22nd, and he notified the Port Administration director to provide a full report on the incident which had been disseminated to senators.

The report was prepared by Tavita Fuimaono, Airport Assistant Director of Port Administration on July 29th, and it gives the timeline of what happened and the response by the airport fire crash unit.

However, Malaepule said that he was a bit confused with the report because he had corresponded with the DPA director but the report they have received bears Governor Lemanu's signature.

He said that senators will be able to confirm the timeline of what had transpired and the response of the various sections of the airport at the time of the accident in the hearing slated for 8:30 this morning.

Senator Magalei Logovii pointed out however that the report does not address the Senate's main concerns because the airport's first responders' initial response was found wanting.

What would have happened if the aircraft caught fire? Why weren't the airport fire trucks on standby during the landing?

Magalei stated that he is personally very concerned about this because he was one of the passengers inside another Talofa Airways flight when the same thing happened, that is the aircraft slid on its nose after landing.

The Senate Vice President moved that the people directly responsible for the airport fire truck and other airport first responder personnel should be called.

Senate President Tuaolo agreed with Senator Magalei saying that the information the Senate wants regarding the accident will not be found in the DPA report and he recommended that the committee play back the KVZK-TV interview with one of the passengers on board the flight that day, who said they had to wait 22 minutes on the tarmac before they were transported to the terminal.

"The DPA report is not our priority, that's for the FAA," Tuaolo said. "Twenty-two minutes elapsed before the first airport official arrived at the scene of the accident, and it wasn't the airport fire truck. There is only one door for passengers to enter and exit the plane.

"What would the airport first responders and personnel working that Sunday have done if the aircraft caught fire? That's what we need to ask those people.

“Where were you during the 22 minutes after the aircraft landed and then slid on its nose before the pilot managed to stop it?"

Samoa News interviewed Lepapa Sosaiete Matai who had traveled with his wife Mataua Matai on the ill-fated Talofa Airways flight and he candidly recounted the moment when they (there were eight passengers) successfully exited the aircraft.

Lepapa stated that it took exactly 22 minutes before a small four-door sedan with a trailer attached at the back that had luggage on it arrived. He deduced the luggage belonged to the passengers waiting to travel to Samoa on the plane they had arrived on.

He said about five minutes later, a double-cab truck belonging to the airport administration arrived on the scene.

“The first question the driver asked us when he got out was, ‘What was happening?’” Lepapa recounted. “I felt like slapping him for asking such a stupid question when it was obvious what had happened!”

In the end, Lepapa said that they were transported to the airport arrival section for immigration and customs clearance.

He and his wife rode in the sedan towing the luggage trailer, while the rest of the passengers came in the truck with the adults in the double-cab, while the three children sat at the back.

He said that it was some time after they arrived that they finally saw the airport fire service making their way to the scene of the accident.

He expressed his disappointment at the unprofessionalism of the Talofa Airways management and the Airport Administration staff.

“I thought someone from the airline would come and apologize for the traumatic near-death experience we went through because they failed to identify and rectify the problem with their plane’s front wheel,” said a disgruntled Lepapa.

“I would have thought the airline’s management or at least a senior official would feel obligated to say something to the passengers whose lives were in danger because of their negligence.

“Then to add insult to injury, the response of the airport administration was incompetent and unprofessional to say the least. The first ones I expected to arrive at the scene was the airport fire service to make sure there was no danger of anything exploding.

“Secondly, I thought all passengers of an aircraft that crash lands should be checked by emergency medical personnel who are trained for these types of situations, to make sure they are alright physically and mentally. Why wasn’t the EMS notified?

“So we ended up going through immigration and customs clearance as if nothing had happened to the plane we arrived in. Then we went home feeling very thankful that we were going to meet our loved ones!”

DPA officials subpoenaed to testify in this morning's Senate hearing include DPA director, airport manager, airport safety manager and the head of the airport rescue and firefighting division.