Heavy thunderstorms over Accra on Sunday, May 17, disrupted flight operations at the Accra International Airport.
The storm forced several inbound and outbound flights into holding patterns, causing delays and extended airborne circling as pilots navigated poor visibility and unstable weather conditions.
Meteorological conditions at the time indicated active thunderstorm activity over the capital, with winds recorded at 310 degrees at 4 knots and temperatures around 26°C.
The severe weather significantly reduced visibility across the Accra airspace, affecting both landing and take-off operations.
International inbound flights were among the most affected. Kenya Airways flight KQ511 and South African Airways flight SA52 were placed in extended holding patterns over the Kpone Katamanso and Gulf of Guinea airspace as air traffic controllers delayed landings due to safety concerns.
Both aircraft eventually landed safely at the Accra International Airport at about 9:55 p.m. after prolonged circling.
British Airways flight BA2066, scheduled to depart Accra at 8:50 p.m., was delayed by about 45 minutes and eventually took off at about 9:35 p.m. due to temporary slowdowns in ground and air operations.
Domestic carrier Africa World Airlines flight AW125 from Kumasi was also affected. The aircraft was tracked approaching Accra, reaching the Nsawam-Adoagyiri area before turning back to Kumasi and later returning to Accra, suggesting a weather-related diversion as conditions deteriorated over the airport.
Ghanaian musician Kweku Smoke also posted on X at about 10:00 p.m., confirming that the flight returned to Kumasi after it was unable to land in Accra due to the adverse weather conditions.
Chale everybody turn woman for the AWA flight inside 😂. We no fee land for Accra we come back Kumasi 😂
— BIG SHMOKE 💨 (@kwekusmoke_) May 17, 2026
Earlier, Emirates flight EK788, operating from Abidjan to Accra, also experienced significant disruption.
The aircraft was observed circling for an extended period between Ningo Prampram and Battor due to the thunderstorm activity over the capital.
The flight, originally scheduled to land at 4:43 p.m., arrived at approximately 6:06 p.m., over an hour behind schedule due to prolonged holding.
The heavy rains, accompanied by lightning and strong convective activity, also caused localised flooding and difficult driving conditions in several parts of Accra.
ALSO READ:
