The Bombardier Q400 aircraft, operated by Mozambique Airlines, has been on the ground since last night at Chingodzi International Airport in the city of Tete, following a breakdown that prevented it from taking off for Maputo.

A company source contacted by MZNews told us that the plane should have left at 8.50pm on Tuesday for the capital, carrying 44 passengers. However, already on the runway, with the engines running and about to fly, the passengers were informed of a technical problem and told to disembark and wait for the problem to be resolved.

With no solution in sight to solve the problem, it was announced that the trip would be canceled, thus disrupting the schedules and appointments of several passengers coming to Maputo.

However, according to the same source, this morning 22 of the 44 passengers managed to board via another aircraft sent by LAM, and the remaining passengers are expected to board at 1pm today.

A LAM source also confirmed that a technical team has already been sent to Tete province to repair the aircraft.