Monrovia, Feb. 24 -- An unusual and potentially dangerous situation unfolded at Roberts International Airport (RIA) last week when an Ethiopian Airlines flight was forced to abort its landing due to thick smoke drifting over the airport. The incident occurred in Unification Town, Margibi County, and has raised fresh concerns over the safety of air traffic in the region.

Smoke from Farm Fires Disrupts Operations

According to an anonymous source at the airport, intense smoke was generated by farm fires just outside RIA's perimeter fence. Local farmers in surrounding villages, who commonly burn their fields to clear land, inadvertently created hazardous conditions as the smoke drifted into the airport's airspace. The heavy smoke severely ...