An Air Peace flight scheduled to depart from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja for Lagos encountered an unexpected emergency on Thursday morning, causing an abrupt halt on the runway moments before takeoff. The incident, which occurred around 6:30 a.m., left passengers anxious, with reports of some onboard being visibly shaken and others letting out alarmed screams as the aircraft came to a sudden stop.
Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong, who was among the passengers, shared details of the event on his Facebook page. According to Effiong, the flight captain attributed the emergency stop to a bird strike. Effiong expressed relief that the incident happened before takeoff, stating, "Thankfully, whatever happened did not occur after takeoff. It would have been scarier." He also questioned whether there is bird detection radar technology at the domestic wing of the airport, highlighting concerns about flight safety.
Following the incident, passengers were safely deboarded, and a replacement aircraft was arranged to minimize disruptions to their travel plans. In a statement, Dr. Ejike Ndiulo, Head of Corporate Communications for Air Peace Limited, confirmed the cause of the emergency stop as a bird strike before takeoff. He explained that as a safety precaution, the aircraft returned to the ramp to allow passengers to disembark.
Dr. Ndiulo assured that Air Peace remains dedicated to maintaining high safety standards, stating, "We have deployed a replacement aircraft for the affected flight in order to minimize disruptions, thus ensuring that passengers continue their journeys promptly. We appeal for the understanding of our valued passengers impacted by this development, as well as those on other flights that may experience delays."
Air Peace's swift response helped avoid a potential tragedy, reinforcing its commitment to safe, comfortable, and reliable air travel for all its passengers.
