British heavy metal band Iron Maiden stranded in Chile after plane mishap

Reading Time:1 minute

‘Ed Force One’, the aeroplane of British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, parked with its engines damaged after being hit by a tractor at Santiago International Airport. Photo: Reuters

Published: 10:00am, 13 Mar 2016Updated: 10:39am, 13 Mar 2016

British heavy metal band Iron Maiden said Saturday they were temporarily stranded when their plane was badly damaged in a runway accident in Chile that injured two ground crew.

The band, which is in South America on a world tour, said its members and equipment were not on board at the time, and later announced it had found new transportation to get to its next show, in Cordoba, Argentina Sunday.

Singer of the British band Iron Maiden, Bruce Dickinson, performs during a concert at the Nacional stadium in Santiago, Chile, on 11 March 2016. Photo: EPA

The plane, a Boeing 747 nicknamed “Ed Force One”, was being towed for refuelling when it came untethered, the band said on its website.

“On making a turn the aircraft had no steering and collided with the ground tug, badly damaging the undercarriage, two of the aircraft’s engines and injuring two ground tug operators, both of whom have been taken to hospital,” it said.

The collision caused 'great damage to the undercarriage and two engines of the aircraft, wounding two airport ground operators who have been admitted to hospitals' the band explained in a statement. Photo: EPA

It later said both people injured were expected to fully recover.

The Book of Souls tour was launched last month in support of the heavy metal legends’ latest album.