Saturday’s freight flight temporarily diverts to Faleolo due to weather

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Local KVZK TV reports that after showing up in the sky at Pago Pago International Airport about 2 pm yesterday, June 25, the cargo flight Asia Pacific couldn’t land at the airport over what the Control Tower at Faleolo Airport described as poor weather visibility.

Reports received by KVZK News say the cargo flight was due to land at Pago Pago International Airport at around 2:45pm but it aborted landing due to zero visibility and strong cross winds.

Earlier in the day, the National Weather Service Pago Pago had issued a high surf warning and wind advisory for all of American Samoa for Saturday afternoon. The advisory said, an active trough and a strong ridge of high pressure would continue to hold strong and gusty east and southeast winds through Sunday.

According to local television KVZK, when the pilots attempted to land the aircraft a second time at around 3:10 it was impossible so the aircraft flew around Tutuila for another 20 minutes before making its way to Faleolo International Airport, passing Vaiusu around 3:48pm

The FlightRadar24 showed the Cargo flight (USPS) first went around American Samoa at 2.51pm and nearly reached Aleipata before turning around.

Shortly thereafter, KVZK News received confirmation from Samoa that the Asia Pacific Cargo flight was diverted to Faleolo International Airport due to bad weather in American Samoa. It landed there at 3:30pm.

After a few hours at Faleolo International Airport, the Asia Pacific cargo flight arrived back safely at Pago Pago International Airport around 7p.m. last night

The Asia Pacific cargo flight then left the Territory last night at around 10pm