Home » RIA Power Outage Caused by Bird Strike? | News

RIA Power Outage Caused by Bird Strike? | News

When Liberia’s only international airport, the Roberts International Airport (RIA), plunged into darkness on March 30, 2025, the public reaction was swift and furious. Videos of confused passengers navigating the terminal with mobile phone flashlights went viral online, prompting widespread ridicule and outrage. The government scrambled to explain what had gone wrong, culminating in a public hearing convened by the Senate’s Joint Committees on Transport and Hydrocarbon and Energy.

There, officials from the Liberia Airport Authority (LAA) and the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) laid the blame on a bird. Specifically, they claimed that a bird strike damaged an isolator connected to a transformer, which caused a temporary loss of power to the terminal.

While power was reportedly restored by the early hours of the next day, the official explanation has raised more questions than it has answered — particularly among aviation professionals, engineers, and infrastructure analysts who, for lack of clarity and evidence from authorities, find the claim suspect. 

Bird strikes are a well-documented hazard in global aviation. They typically involve birds colliding with aircraft, often during takeoff or landing. According to the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), over 61% of bird strikes occur during aircraft arrival phases, with another 36% happening during departures.

These incidents generally take place at or below 500 feet above ground level, within or near the airport environment. However, what is far less common — and scarcely documented — is a bird causing physical damage to power infrastructure on the ground significant enough to shut down terminal operations.

“There are occasional incidents where birds may cause outages, but it is extremely rare — especially at night when bird activity decreases significantly,” said an aviation infrastructure analyst who spoke to the Observer on condition of anonymity. “And in most well-run airports, critical infrastructure like transformers is housed in protected areas specifically to avoid these kinds of disruptions.”

According to the LEC’s Managing Director, Thomas Gonkerwon, the power disruption was triggered by a bird strike that damaged an isolator connected to a transformer serving the terminal building. Gonkerwon said the incident led to a temporary loss of power to the terminal, prompting a switch to backup generators to keep critical airport functions operational. He added that by 1:00 a.m. the following morning, power had been fully restored, and by 4:00 p.m., a replacement transformer had been installed.

The Liberia Airport Authority emphasized that the power loss did not affect the runway or aircraft navigation systems. “The runway lights and essential services continued without interruption,” said Jonathan Enders, Deputy Director for Technical Services at LAA. He reaffirmed the Authority’s commitment to ensuring operational continuity during emergencies.

Bird strikes are known to occur in aviation, usually involving aircraft during takeoff or landing. Data from international aviation bodies such as the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) indicate that most bird strikes occur at low altitudes in the vicinity of airports. However, reports of bird strikes damaging ground-based electrical infrastructure—particularly at night, when bird activity is lower—are uncommon.

In Liberia, where there is limited public access to aviation safety records, it remains unclear how often wildlife-related incidents have interfered with airport power systems or equipment.

During the hearing, Senators questioned whether the response to the outage adequate and what measures was were being put in place to prevent future incidents. The hearing was prompted by a directive from President Pro Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, who termed the incident a matter of national importance, given Liberia’s ongoing efforts to improve its global connectivity and tourism appeal.

Meanwhile, LAA officials outlined several steps they are taking to improve the resilience of RIA’s power infrastructure. These include the procurement of a new 3-megawatt transformer to reduce dependence on the national grid, and the integration of solar energy systems to provide a renewable backup source for the terminal.

According to the LAA, backup generator capacity has already been increased to 2.5 megawatts, enough to power the terminal, control tower, and VIP lounges in the event of a grid failure.

Acting LAA Managing Director Jero Mends-Cole said the March 30 incident had provided important lessons. “We are committed to ensuring that Roberts International Airport remains a critical hub for Liberia’s development and global connectivity,” he said. “We are taking significant steps to future-proof the airport’s power systems.”

The LAA also stated that the terminal’s temporary blackout had been mischaracterized in the media as a complete airport-wide failure. Officials confirmed that while the terminal did experience a power outage, the runway remained fully functional and aircraft operations were not at risk. They noted that the flight which arrived during the outage—Brussels Airlines—landed safely and was never in danger, despite confusion among some passengers and members of the public.

Senators Edwin M. Snowe and Abraham Darius Dillon both commended the quick response by LAA and LEC but stressed the need for long-term solutions to prevent similar occurrences. Senator Dillon noted that while the actions taken were commendable, the incident highlighted critical vulnerabilities in the airport’s infrastructure that require sustained investment and oversight.

In addition to improving backup systems, LEC and LAA said they are assessing environmental factors around the airport, including bird habitats and vegetation management, to reduce future risks. Measures include clearing areas around transformers and other electrical equipment to deter wildlife and implementing monitoring protocols to better manage potential hazards.

As Liberia seeks to reposition itself as a tourism destination under President Joseph Boakai’s ARREST agenda, ensuring the reliability of its international gateway is seen as essential. The RIA is the first point of contact for most international travelers entering Liberia, and public confidence in its operations remains a key factor in the country’s overall image and competitiveness.

While the cause of the March 30 outage has been officially attributed to a bird strike, many observers continue to call for the LAA and LEC to release more documentation or evidence related to the incident to maintain transparency and trust.

As the Senate continues its review, the broader focus remains on ensuring that Liberia’s only international airport can meet the standards expected of a safe, modern, and professionally managed facility.