TEARFUL passengers were treated for shock after an SA Airlink plane lost control of its nose- wheel steering and veered off the runway on take-off from Port Elizabeth Airport yesterday.

Five women – four passengers and a steward – were treated for shock, while others on the flight bound for East London were left in tears and had to receive counselling.

No one was hurt, but all inbound and outbound flights were delayed. A flight from Cape Town had to be diverted to East London while emergency services cleared the runway.

Netcare 911 paramedics spokesman Gerard Howard said the panic- stricken passengers insisted they had first heard a loud noise, which sounded as if it came from the engine.

“The passengers said (it) definitely sounded different to the normal sound before the aircraft steered off the runway ... We treated four ladies for shock as well as an air hostess. All the passengers were in tears, but fortunately there were no cuts and bleeding.”

Almarie, a passenger who did not divulge her surname because she and other passengers were ushered away from the media by airport officials, said it all happened “so quickly”.

“I got such a big shock” she said. “But before I realised what was happening, it was already over.”

Police spokesman Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg said the aircraft had apparently lost control of its nose-wheel steering.

“The Civil Aviation Authority will investigate the incident to see what went wrong with the flight,” said airport manager Azad Cassim. “We’ll put the people up (last night) and the flight will resume (today) for all those still brave enough to come on board.”

He said the passengers all received trauma counselling.

While Netcare 911 says it responded within six minutes of receiving a distress call, BLS Medical – which claimed arrival “a few minutes” earlier – was barred access.

BLS operational manager Greg York said they received a signal notifying them of a problem with the aircraft and immediately responded.

“The security refused to allow us in because they said the Airports Company had an official contract with Netcare 911 ... (They) arrived after a few minutes and were allowed to go through,” said York. The deal was confirmed by Netcare’s Howard.