A Virgin Australia Boeing B737 aircraft sustained damages to its fuselage after it collided with an airport tug vehicle at Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport (MEL).
The incident occurred on the evening of July 27, 2025 at around 21:40 local time, when the B737 was being towed to a hangar for scheduled maintenance. During the process, the aircraft disconnected from the tug vehicle, causing the plane and the vehicle to collide. The tug vehicle hit the left side of the aircraft.
Footage of the incident has been uploaded to social media, showing the B737 with visible damage to its left side of the fuselage.
🚨A recent ground incident occurred at Melbourne Airport on Sunday involving a Virgin Australia Boeing 737. During towing, the aircraft made contact with a tug vehicle, resulting in a disconnection and subsequent damage to the front-left section. There were no reported injuries,… pic.twitter.com/krgsJgNKeJ
— Fahad Naim (@Fahadnaimb) July 28, 2025
As the aircraft did not have any scheduled flights, no passenger was inside when the incident occurred, and no injuries were reported.
Statement from @VirginAustralia following last night’s collision at Melbourne Airport which left a hole in the side of an aircraft. @3AW693 pic.twitter.com/0Vv7kJzfXG
— Madelaine Burke (@Madelaine_Burke) July 27, 2025
“On Sunday evening, a Virgin Australia aircraft was being towed to the maintenance hangar at Melbourne Airport when it appears to have become disconnected from the tug vehicle, causing the tug to impact the side of the aircraft,” a Virgin Australia spokesperson confirmed with local media, adding that the airline does not anticipate other flights to be affected by the collision.
The airline also said that investigations are underway.
1 comment
Why was a bag tug even on that side of the airplane?