Monrovia — A joint team comprised of the leadership of the Liberia Airport Authority (LAA) and the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) blames power outage at the Roberts International Airport on Sunday March 30, 2025, on bird's strike that damaged isolation of transformer of the national grid.
However, the LAA leadership says at no time Air Brussels was in danger, noting that electricity was in the surrounding facilities of the building except the terminal.
On Wednesday, April 2, 2025, the Liberian Senate's investigative team conducted hearing with the Managements of the Liberia Airport Authority (LAA) and Liberia Electricity Cooperation (LEC) on the unfortunate incident of power outage at the RIA on Sunday, March 30, 2025.
Those witnesses certified under oath are Mr. Egon Kuiah-D, Director for Operations (LAA); Jonathan C. Enders, Technical Services (LAA); and Mr. Jero H. Mend-Cole, Managing Director (LAA).
The Liberia Electricity Corporation was represented at the hearing by Mr. Adam Sheriff, Chief Financial Officer; and Mr. Thomas Z. Gonkonwon, Interim Managing Director.
Providing explanation to the Senate regarding the unfortunate power outage at the Airport, Mr. Jero H. Mend-Cole describes the RIA as gateway to the country and terms the Sunday incident as unfortunate, while noting that during the situation, he was out of the campus far away when he received a call from his Deputy for Technical Services, who has oversight over electricity and power generation at the Airport.
"Prior to the unfortunate situation or power outage on Sunday March 30, 2025, we had a bird's strike about three or four days ago. It's now the birds' migration season and the Airport and surrounding communities have garbage that the birds usually come to eat from. So, the birds' strike went to the LEC transformer and blew off the national grid that connects us", he narrates.
He continues that when the situation happened, they informed the Management of the Liberia Electricity Corporation and the Corporation promised to send a team to assess the situation, so the LAA resorted to its three standby generators for power.
"On Sunday, we had airlines checking in, particularly Air Ivory Coast that came in by 5:00pm at which time we had the LEC team working to resolve the situation. While on the process, there was a feedback that blew off our voltage regulator and others. Now, let it be known, only the terminal building was off, but the other places were lighted", he discloses.
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He notes that Air Brussels arrived at 7:00 pm, while the team was working on the situation to restore electricity, and that this is the first time for such technical glitches.
"So, because of the situation, the passengers used the VIP Terminal where there were lights and they were checked, including their luggage and documents. The process was slow because the VIP Terminal is not big, but it was done. The passengers took their belongings the next day, which was on Monday. Now, the issue is addressed, and we are moving on being connected to national gride back," the LAA boss tells the Senate.
He reveals that following the situation, President Joseph N. Boakai constituted a team that visited the facility and was briefed about the situation, and later made a tour to gather firsthand information, which confirmed the happenings.
On Sunday, the blackout created a complete nightmare for passengers disembarking SN Brussel flights, many of whom were forced to use phone lights to locate their luggage.
Authorities at the airport blamed the disruption on an electrical fault originating from the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) power grid. Editing by Jonathan Browne
