No fewer than 68 passengers escaped unhurt on Thursday after an Enugu Air aircraft crash-landed at the Benin Airport in Edo State.
The aircraft, bearing registration number 5N-ENR, was reportedly operating on the Enugu–Benin–Lagos route when it overshot the runway shortly after landing and veered into a nearby bush.
A source at the Benin Airport, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak on the incident, said officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria promptly responded and evacuated all passengers from the aircraft.
According to the source, the swift intervention by airport emergency personnel prevented what could have resulted in a major tragedy.
“The aircraft overshot the runway and entered the nearby bush. FAAN officials immediately swung into action and evacuated all the passengers. No casualty was recorded,” the source said.
The exact number of crew members on board the aircraft could not be independently confirmed as of the time of filing this report.
The cause of the runway excursion was yet to be officially determined, as aviation authorities had not issued a formal statement on the incident at the time of reporting.
Investigations into the circumstances surrounding the crash-landing are expected to commence, with aviation safety officials likely to examine factors that may have contributed to the incident.
The successful evacuation of all passengers without injuries has been described as a significant relief, although the incident has raised fresh concerns over aviation safety and runway operations.
More details are expected as investigations progress.
