The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has reiterated that Nigeria aviation is safe and run based on international standards.
Capt. Chris Najomo, the acting Director General, Civil Aviation, Nigeria gave the commitment while commenting on the Dana Air runway incident.
He said on the “on 23rd April, 2024 at about 8:25AM, a Dana Airline aircraft was involved in a runway excursion occurrence. The Aircraft, an MD82 with registration marks 5SN-BKI, departed Abuja for Lagos with 83 passengers and 6 crew members onboard.
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“Upon landing at MMIA, the Air Traffic Controller [ATC] Tower observed at C4 that the Nosewheel had retracted and the nose of the aircraft collapsed and the aircraft veered off the runway info the grassy area” he explained.
However, he said no fatalities were recorded.
“Very importantly, all passengers and crew disembarked and were evacuated safely while Runway 18L was closed. In accordance with statutory procedures, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has commenced its investigation into the occurrence.”
“The NCAA reiterates its avowed commitment to a safe and secure aviation sector. In furtherance to this commitment, the Authority will be looking to implement the safety recommendations expected from the NSIB investigation while it carries out its own in-house safety assessment of the occurrence” he assured.
“The traveling public is hereby assured of NCAA’s unrelenting efforts in holding all operators and service providers in the sector to the highest international safety standards” he further assured.
Meanwhile, Dana Air has extended its apologies to all passengers affected by the recent schedule disruption resulting from the runway excursion involving one of its aircraft at Lagos airport.
The airline in a statement said, ”We understand the frustration and inconvenience experienced by passengers whose travel plans were disrupted due to the incident and we are deeply sorry.”
”Our remaining flights for the day have all been retimed and all the passengers on these flights have been updated via email, sms and calls. We wish to also reassure affected passengers that we are working diligently to minimize disruption and accommodate their travel needs.”
”We commend the experience, professionalism and swift response demonstrated by our crew in handling the runway excursion incident. Their quick thinking, adherence to safety strict standards, and effective communication ensured the safe disembarkation of all passengers without injury. We are immensely proud of their commitment to passenger safety.
”We wish to also appreciate our customers for their support, loyalty and understanding at this time. This is priceless and we are grateful.”
”At Dana Air, safety and service excellence are core values that guide everything we do. While we deeply regret the incident and its impact on our passengers, we remain steadfast in our commitment to upholding the highest safety standards and providing exceptional service to our customers.”
