An aircraft belonging to Max Air experienced an engine fire incident shortly after takeoff from the Muhammadu Buhari International Airport in Maiduguri.
According to information obtained from airport sources who spoke to the newspaper on Thursday morning, the incident occurred on Wednesday evening, necessitating the aircraft, which was en route to Abuja with nearly 80 passengers on board, including the Deputy Governor of Borno State, Usman Kadafur, to make an emergency return to the Maiduguri Airport.
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No fatalities were reported.
Sources at the airport said the aircraft came from Lagos to pick up passengers and that it began experiencing issues about ten minutes after takeoff when one of its engines went up in flames.
“The pilot had to shut down the affected engine while attempting to land with the remaining one. After a terrifying struggle, he successfully brought the plane back to the runway,” a passenger recounted.
Over the past year, Max Air has been grappling with regulatory hurdles amidst perceived safety concerns.
In July last year, the NCAA suspended Max Air Boeing 737 (parts A3 and D43) aircraft from operation over safety concerns.