Croatia Airlines aborted the takeoff of flight OU412 from Split to Frankfurt on Saturday after its Airbus A220-300 veered off the runway during acceleration and ended up on the grass beside the strip. The aircraft, registered 9A-CAN, came to a stop on one side after striking a vertical marker and runway edge lights.
There were 130 passengers and five crew members on board, including two pilots and three cabin crew, and no injuries were reported. The airline said the crew stopped the aircraft in line with prescribed safety procedures, and passengers disembarked and were taken to the passenger terminal building at Split Airport.
The incident happened on 16 May 2026 at Split Airport as the plane was operating a regular international service. The cause of the runway excursion was not known at the time of reporting, but Croatia Airlines said it remained in constant coordination with Split Airport, emergency services and aviation authorities while the aircraft underwent initial technical checks.
The sequence left a functioning passenger flight stranded on the grass and forced the airline into an immediate safety response, even as the broader question of what sent the A220 off the runway remained unanswered. Croatia Airlines said further information would be released after the initial technical inspections and official procedures were completed, a process that will determine whether the airline can return the aircraft to service and explain why the aborted takeoff happened in the first place.
