Harare - An Air Zimbabwe flight was forced to make an emergency stop at Harare International airport on Tuesday after it hit a warthog on the runway, the company's CEO said.

"Unfortunately our plane which was going to Bulawayo hit a warthog on the runway and was forced to make an emergency brakes stop" (sic), Peter Chikumba, Air Zimbabwe CEO told AFP.

"The plane had 34 passengers who were going to Bulawayo but fortunately they are all safe as no-one was injured."

The Chinese-made MA 60 aircraft hit the animal while taxiing down the runway minutes after the departure of Democratic Republic of Congo leader Joseph Kabila, who was in Harare for talks with the country's unity government.

A passenger onboard the 17:15 GMT flight told AFP that the plane skidded off the runway after it hit the warthog, a commonly found wild pig with distinctive protruding tusks.

"The passengers were all evacuated but some of us are scared and traumatised over the whole incident.

"The plane is damaged as it skidded off the runway and headed toward the bushes."(sic)

By SAPA