Biman A310 Lost Nosegear

Dubai International Airport was closed at least eight hours Monday morning, after a Biman Bangladesh Airbus A310 suffered an apparent nosegear collapse and skidded to the end of runway 12L following an aborted takeoff.

"Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight BG006 flying from Dubai to Dhaka had a minor accident during take-off," the Department of Civil Aviation said in a prepared statement. "Now the airport will be closed for 8 hours minimum to ensure the runway is safe to use."

Reuters reports 14 passengers were slightly injured in the subsequent evacuation, out of 236 passengers and crew onboard the widebody airliner. Unconfirmed reports state the plane's crew aborted takeoff due to an engine fire, and the resulting hard braking sheared off the nosewheel assembly.

The incident snarled operations at the busy Mideast airport, a major hub for trade and tourism in the United Arab Emirates. The accident shut down the airport's only runway; a second runway is closed while it is widened to accommodate the upcoming Airbus A380 superjumbo.

Passengers said they weren't told how long their flights would be stuck on the ground, and instead got their information from television news reports of the accident.

"It's crazy, I can't get any sense out of anyone," said Joe Murphy, who was connecting in Dubai on a trip from Australia to the UK. "All I want to know is what's happening."

Incoming flights to DXB were diverted to Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.

Biman was forced to stop flights to the US, European Union and Tokyo last year, due to a shortage of acceptable aircraft. A DC-10 flying for the airline was denied entry into the US in May 2006 over safety concerns; the US State Department later admitted the ban was "a mistake."

FMI: www.dubaiairport.com, www.bimanair.com