Drama unfolded at Benin Airport on Thursday as an Enugu Air aircraft dramatically skidded off the runway after landing in a terrifying runway excursion that sent shockwaves through the aviation sector.
In an emergency public notice, Enugu Air confirmed that one of its planes operating into Benin experienced a scary runway excursion shortly after touchdown.
The heart-stopping incident, however, ended with a huge relief as all passengers and crew members escaped safely with no injuries or casualties.
The airline stated: “We confirm that all passengers and crew have safely disembarked and there were no injuries or casualties.”
The aircraft has since been secured while aviation authorities swing into action to unravel the cause of the frightening mishap.
An official assessment of the Enugu Air and the circumstances behind the scary excursion is currently underway, the airline said.
In the meantime, passengers have been warned to brace for possible flight disruptions as the carrier makes temporary adjustments to its schedule.
Enugu Air, while calming nerves, stressed that “the safety of our passengers, crew, and operations remains our highest priority.”
The incident comes as a major scare for the relatively young carrier which has been expanding its domestic footprint.
Aviation experts say runway excursions often occur due to wet runways, overspeed landing or other operational factors, but full details will only emerge after thorough investigation by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
