No fewer than 68 passengers escaped unhurt on Thursday after an Enugu Airlines aircraft crash-landed at the Benin Airport in Edo State, causing panic among travellers but ending without any loss of life.
Key Highlights
- Enugu Airlines aircraft crash-landed at Benin Airport.
- 68 passengers safely evacuated without casualties.
- Aircraft reportedly overshot the runway into nearby vegetation.
- Incident occurred on the Enugu–Benin–Lagos route.
- FAAN emergency responders swiftly evacuated passengers.
- Investigation into the cause of the incident is expected.
The aircraft, with registration number 5N-ENR, was operating a scheduled Enugu–Benin–Lagos commercial flight when the incident occurred.
A source at the Benin Airport, who requested anonymity because they were not authorised to speak on the matter, said the aircraft overshot the runway during landing and veered into nearby vegetation.
According to the source, officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) immediately activated emergency response procedures, leading to the safe evacuation of all passengers and crew members.
“The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) immediately swung into action, and all the passengers were evacuated. No casualty was recorded,” the source said.
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The source, however, could not confirm the exact number of crew members on board at the time of the incident.
As of the time of filing this report, neither Enugu Airlines nor aviation authorities had issued an official statement on the cause of the crash-landing. It is expected that aviation safety investigators will examine the incident to determine the circumstances surrounding the runway excursion.
The incident temporarily heightened tension at the airport but did not result in any reported fatalities or serious injuries.
