Iron Maiden's plane badly damaged in Chile

  • 13/03/2016
Engine damage on the Ed Force One (IronMaiden.com)
Engine damage on the Ed Force One (IronMaiden.com)

Iron Maiden's aircraft Ed Force One is extensively damaged after crashing into a tow truck at an airport in Chile.

Two ground workers were hospitalised during the accident, which damaged two engines on the customised Boeing 747-400.

The incident occurred when a tow bar connecting the plane to the tow truck dislodged, causing the two vehicles to collide on the tarmac at Santiago Airport.

Ed Force One is usually piloted by Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson.

The Chilean airport staff who were injured will make a complete recovery, the 'Wasted Years' rockers say in a statement on their website.

"Ed Force One was this morning tethered to a tow truck to be taken for refuelling prior to flying over the Andes to Cordoba for the next show," reads the statement.

"On moving the steering pin that is part of the mechanism that connects the ground tug to the aircraft seemingly fell out. On making a turn the aircraft had no steering and collided with the ground tug.

Iron Maiden's plane badly damaged in Chile

"Fortunately the 20 tonnes of equipment had not been loaded onto Ed Force One at the time of the accident, and none of the band or our road crew were onboard or near the airport. Although this is tragic for our beautiful plane, we do not expect this to affect our concert schedule including the next two shows in Cordoba and Buenos Aires."

Ed Force One is scheduled to touch down in New Zealand as part of the Book of Souls tour in May.

Newshub.