Tragedy was averted as a Boeing 737 aircraft belonging to Air Peace skidded off the runway on Wednesday during a heavy downpour at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. The incident, which occurred around 10 a.m. yesterday, led to some tense moments but no life was lost and all passengers and crew were safely evacuated.
According to eyewitnesses, the aircraft had just arrived from Port Harcourt and was already taxiing to the arrival point at the airport when the driver lost control due to the bad weather.
Footage showed the aircraft stuck in wet grass, rising from a significantly wet and cluttered area near the runway. Passengers were seen gathering their bags and walking towards the airport as emergency responders rushed to the scene.
In a Twitter post, the corporate affairs manager of Air Peace Airlines, Chris Iwarah, confirmed the incident, detailing that the plane experienced limited damage. According to him, both the airline and aviation authorities have commenced an immediate investigation into the incident and advised members of the public to disregard unverified reports.
With the advent of the rainy season in Nigeria, there has been an increase in airplane accidents in recent times. This has led many aviation experts to advocate for the strict implementation of safety measures to avoid tragedies in the industry.
We salute the quick response of aviation officials and the crew of the Air Peace aircraft for averting what could have been a disastrous event. It is our hope that aviation authorities double down on safety measures to prevent future accidents.
