Aero aircraft crash lands, as Abuja airport runway is shutdown
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has disclosed that a Boeing 737 passenger jet belonging to Aerocontractors Airlines was involved in an accident at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on Sunday morning.
The Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection of the NSIB, James Odaudu, confirmed this in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, adding that investigations into the accident.
According to the statement, there were no recorded casualties or fatality recorded.
The statement reads, “The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau has been notified and has commenced an investigation into a serious incident involving a Boeing 737 with nationality and registration marks 5N-BYQ belonging to Aerocontractors Airlines, which occurred around 10:47 am (local time) on November 12, 2023.
“The aircraft upon landing at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja from Lagos and in a bid to exit the runway via A4 had its nose wheel stuck in the grass verge with its fuselage on the runway.
“Consequently, the runway was closed pending the towing of the aircraft from the runway. There was no injury or fatality.”
Recall that last Friday, a private jet conveying the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, from Abuja to Ibadan crash-landed at the Ibadan airport in Oyo State.
Although no injury nor fatality was recorded during that incident, investigations into the serious accident are still ongoing by the NSIB.
Meanwhile, the NSIB, on Sunday, called for information from the general public in the form of pictures, video, or recording evidence to assist in conducting a comprehensive investigation into the accident at the Abuja airport.
“The bureau can be reached through [email protected] and NSIB_Nigeria on its social media platforms. The Bureau can also be reached on its emergency line +234-807-709-0909.
“The NSIB will appreciate that the general public and press respect the privacy of the people on board and not assume the cause of the serious incident until a formal report is released,” it stated.
The NSIB is a multimodal investigation agency charged with the mandate to investigate transportation accidents and serious incidents in Nigeria to identify the probable causes and proffer safety recommendations that can prevent reoccurrence.
The bureau said it would release the preliminary report as soon as possible.