A shocking incident at Asaba Airport as an Air Peace aircraft collides with an antelope. Find out how this caused flight disruptions. Read the full story!
… Air Peace Faces Flight Disruptions as NCAA Promises Investigation
An Air Peace aircraft was temporarily grounded at the Asaba International Airport after a bizarre and unexpected collision with an antelope on the runway, triggering passenger frustration and disrupting scheduled operations.
The shocking incident occurred as the aircraft was taxiing on the runway, shortly after landing, when it ran into a large antelope. The force of the collision decimated the animal and forced the aircraft into a condition known in aviation terms as “Aircraft on Ground” (AOG), meaning it could not proceed with its next scheduled flights until full inspections and repairs were carried out.
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) confirmed the development in a public statement issued by its Director of Public Affairs & Consumer Protection, Mr. Michael Achimugu, who took to X (formerly Twitter) to address the matter.
“Monitoring reports yesterday indicated that an Air Peace aircraft ran into a large antelope, decimating the animal and leaving the aircraft on ground. As a result, flights meant to be operated by this aircraft would naturally be disrupted, even though engineers are on the ground to assess and fix the plane,” he wrote.
Achimugu emphasized that while wildlife intrusion is a rare and largely uncontrollable occurrence, Air Peace was still required to take full responsibility in managing the resulting passenger delays and inconveniences.
“Passengers waiting would naturally be infuriated. While the incident itself was beyond the airline’s control, Air Peace is obligated to notify passengers, offer refunds where necessary, and provide adequate care. The NCAA will not hesitate to apply sanctions if any of these responsibilities are neglected,” Achimugu added.
An insider from Air Peace, who spoke anonymously to Vanguard, confirmed that the aircraft had landed before the collision occurred. According to the source, standard aviation procedures were immediately activated.
“It happened upon landing. As an aviation procedure, the aircraft has been checked and fixed. It was not a big issue,” the source stated, downplaying the extent of the damage.
Despite the seeming quick fix, passengers whose flights were delayed or canceled were left angered by the lack of initial communication, as some complained about waiting hours without updates.
The NCAA has promised a thorough investigation into how the animal gained access to the runway in the first place, as this raises serious concerns about the integrity of the airport’s perimeter security and safety protocols.
This is not the first time animals have been reported near airport runways in Nigeria, but the incident has once again drawn attention to the need for enhanced wildlife control and airfield surveillance.
Until then, travelers and airlines are left to grapple with the consequences of a truly unexpected runway intruder.
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