SAN FRANCISCO – A United Airlines jet heading to Japan from San Francisco was forced to divert when a tyre fell from the plane shortly after takeoff, crushing vehicles in a carpark.

The Osaka-bound Boeing 777-200, with 249 people on board, diverted to Los Angeles International Airport after the incident. It landed with no injuries reported.

Videos posted on X by RadarBox captured the moment the tyre fell and footage of vehicles that appeared to have been damaged by the wheel.

“The 777-200 has six tyres on each of its two main landing gear struts. The aircraft is designed to land safely with missing or damaged tyres,” United Airlines said in a statement.

The carrier said a replacement aircraft would transport passengers to Osaka and that the airline would work with the owners of the damaged vehicles to “ensure their needs are addressed”. BLOOMBERG