A Dana Air aircraft overshot the runway at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos on Tuesday morning, sparking concern among passengers and airport authorities. The incident occurred during an early morning downpour in Lagos, which made the runway surface wet and slippery.
The aircraft, a Boeing 737-500 with registration number 5N-BKI, was flying from Abuja to Lagos with 83 passengers and crew members on board. The flight, which departed Abuja at 7:30 am, was scheduled to land at MMIA at 8:30 am. However, the aircraft overshot the runway upon landing, causing a brief moment of panic among passengers and crew.
Fortunately, all passengers and crew disembarked safely without any injuries or incidents. The aircraft was, however, grounded for further investigation, and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) deployed investigators to the site to determine the cause of the incident.
In a statement, Kingsley Ezenwa, Head of Corporate Communications at Dana Air, commended the crew for their professionalism in handling the situation. “We are relieved that all passengers and crew disembarked safely, and we apologize for any inconvenience caused. We are cooperating fully with the relevant authorities to investigate the incident and ensure that such incidents do not recur,” Ezenwa said.
The incident has raised concerns about the safety of the runway at MMIA, particularly during rainy conditions. Airport authorities have assured that the runway is safe and that the incident was an isolated one.
The incident is the latest in a series of incidents involving Dana Air, which has been operating in Nigeria since 2008. The airline has been involved in several incidents, including a fatal crash in 2012 that killed all 153 people on board.”