by Oke Efagene

A top PR person, Justine Sacco, who works for InterActiveCorp, a New York conglomerate run by Barry Diller, has landed herself in trouble after she put up a racist tweet yesterday, as she made her way to an African country on an official trip.

Sacco, referred to herself as a ‘troublemaker on the side’, and known for her ‘loud laugh’, on her now deactivated Twitter account.

The PR executive, unknowingly tweeted what would later result to her downfall, as she waited to board her flight in a London airport.

Unfortunately for her, she couldn’t take the tweet down immediately because she was on a long flight to Africa. However, when she landed several hours later, there was already an outcry on Twitter, and her company had to issue a statement immediately to that effect.

“This is an outrageous, offensive comment that does not reflect the views and values of IAC,” the statement  read. “Unfortunately, the employee in question is unreachable on an international flight, but this is a very serious matter, and we are taking appropriate action.”

Several people went up on Twitter to express their anger and shock via the trending hashtag #HasJustineLandedYet:

Internet processes things quickly–like faster than your flight. #HasJustineLandedYet pic.twitter.com/7d0AK9vbpr

— jason (@Jason) December 21, 2013

 

Sometimes you land with more baggage than you took off with. #HasJustineLandedYet

— Mike Monteiro (@monteiro) December 21, 2013

 

#HasJustineLandedYet pic.twitter.com/Y1wyXapARm

— Gators & Goats (@gatorgoat) December 21, 2013

 

Justine Sacco slayed herself on Twitter’s slaughter slab. #hasJustineLandedYet

— Egghead Odewale (@eggheader) December 21, 2013

 

So yesterday’s comment wasn’t @JustineSacco‘s first offense. Your timeline could be your worst enemy. #HasJustineLandedYet

— Zainab Balogun (@Zainab__Balogun) December 21, 2013

 

#HasJustineLandedYet: Racist tweet sparks online outrage http://t.co/WYyMAgeNlc – and reminder that Africans are on Twitter!

— africatechie (@africatechie) December 21, 2013

 

Twitter is where bigotry goes to die. #HasJustineLandedYet

— Calestous Juma (@calestous) December 21, 2013

#HasJustineLandedYet…blonde stupid ignorant white woman — MCL (@McLenols) December 21, 2013

 

Go back to your beloved America. We sure don’t want you here. Go!!!!! #HasJustineLandedYet

— Nyameka Sonti (@nyami247) December 21, 2013

 

I wish somebody could just give her a huge fist to her face and knock some reality into that ignorant racist woman! #HasJustineLandedYet

— •SHERA• (@AyandaThabethe) December 21, 2013