At least 62 passengers escaped death on Tuesday as an aircraft belonging to Nigerian airline Value Jet skidded off the runway at the Port Harcourt International Airport in Rivers State.
The incident caused panic among the passengers in the oil-rich state after the jet reportedly landed at 3.30 p.m. The passengers and five flight crew members were on board.
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Port Harcourt International Airport is situated in Omagwa, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.
“The airline confirmed the incident in a statement, saying the “ValueJet aircraft slipped on taxi turn after landing safely and cleared off the runway at Port Harcourt airport. No damage to the aircraft. The incident happened at 3.30 local time.
“The CRJ 900 Bombardier aircraft with registration 5N-BXR landed safely with passengers wondering what could have happened because the airplane landed safely without difficulty.
“The minor incident happened at about 3.30 pm at the Port-Harcourt International Airport. Captain Stanley Balami reported that the aircraft encountered a slip due to algae on the taxi way which made it unable to maintain the centre line.”
Tuesday’s incident is the latest in air accidents in the past months in Nigeria.
On Sunday, an incident involving a Boeing 737 Jet with registration number 5N-BYQ owned by Aero Contractors Airlines crash-landed at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) stated that the incident was classified as ‘a serious accident.’
Another incident occurred last week when a private HS25B aircraft operated by Flint Aero narrowly avoided tragedy as it crash-landed on the runway at Ibadan, Oyo State.
Passengers on board, including the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, escaped death.