The Chief Executive Officer of Enugu Air, Captain Tolu Ita, has clarified that the airline’s recent runway incident at the Benin Airport was not a crash or an emergency landing.
Ita stated that the aircraft experienced a runway excursion after hydroplaning on the runway during landing.
She confirmed that no injuries or fatalities were recorded.
“We are deeply grateful that all passengers and crew members are safe. Most importantly, there were no injuries and no casualties,” she said.
According to Ita, the aircraft was operating a scheduled flight from Lagos to Benin when it landed and hydroplaned on the wet runway, resulting in a runway excursion during the landing roll.
“Following a scheduled flight from Lagos to Benin, the aircraft landed and, due to hydroplaning on the runway, experienced a runway excursion during the landing roll,”
“This was not a crash, nor was it an emergency landing, but it was a serious incident,” she said.
She said a full investigation had commenced in collaboration with the relevant aviation authorities to determine the cause of the incident.
She added that the airline would cooperate fully with investigators and provide verified updates as they become available.
“As is standard practice across the global aviation industry, a full investigation is being conducted in close collaboration with the relevant aviation agencies to establish the complete facts surrounding this occurrence. We are committed to full cooperation with these agencies and will share verified updates as they become available,” she said.
Recall that NPO reported that the incident occurred on Thursday when an Enugu Air Embraer E170 aircraft operating Flight 4264 from Lagos overran the end of Runway 05 while landing at the Benin Airport.