By Amoako Kwame
Heavy thunderstorms that swept across Accra on Sunday, May 17, disrupted flight operations at Kotoka International Airport.
The adverse weather conditions caused several arriving and departing flights to experience delays, enter holding patterns, and circle in the air for extended periods as pilots dealt with poor visibility and unstable conditions.
Meteorological reports at the time showed active thunderstorm activity over the capital, with winds blowing at 310 degrees at 4 knots and temperatures hovering around 26 degrees Celsius.
The intense weather conditions greatly reduced visibility within the Accra airspace, affecting both take-off and landing operations.
International inbound flights faced some of the greatest disruptions. Kenya Airways flight KQ511 and South African Airways flight SA52 were both kept in extended holding patterns over Kpone Katamanso and the Gulf of Guinea as air traffic controllers postponed landings over safety concerns.
Both aircraft eventually landed safely at Accra International Airport at about 9:55 p.m. after spending an extended period in holding patterns.
British Airways flight BA2066, which was scheduled to depart Accra at 8:50 p.m., left roughly 45 minutes late, taking off around 9:35 p.m. after temporary slowdowns affected both ground and air traffic operations.
A domestic flight operated by Africa World Airlines, flight AW125 from Kumasi, also experienced disruption. The aircraft was tracked en route to Accra, reached the Nsawam-Adoagyiri area, then turned back toward Kumasi before later resuming its journey to Accra, indicating a possible weather-related diversion as conditions worsened near the airport.
Ghanaian musician Kweku Smoke also posted on X at around 10:00 p.m., confirming that the flight had returned to Kumasi after it was unable to land in Accra.
Earlier, Emirates flight EK788, traveling from Abidjan to Accra, also faced major disruptions.
The aircraft was seen holding for an extended period between Ningo Prampram and Battor due to thunderstorm activity over the capital.
Originally expected to land at 4:43 p.m., the flight eventually touched down at around 6:06 p.m., more than an hour late after prolonged delays in the air.
Meanwhile, heavy rainfall accompanied by lightning and strong convective weather led to localized flooding and made road conditions difficult across several parts of Accra.
