Nigeria - British Airways In Near Mishap At Abuja Airport

Another air disaster was, in the early hours of Saturday , averted at the Nnamdi Azikiwe international airport, Abuja when a British Airways Boeing flight overshot the runway. This happened at a time Nigerians are still smarting from the painful memories of the Dana plane crash in Iju area of Lagos, which killed more than 153 people. THISDAY gathered that there was however no injury to passengers on board the BA flight, which was flying in from the UK.

An official of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), who spoke to on condition of anonymity, confirmed the incident. “It was another near mishap that was averted as the aircraft en route Abuja from UK landed the airport safely though,” he said.

According to him, it was in the course of taxing that the plane exceeded the runway limit because of ongoing construction work at the airport. He expressed delight that there was no damage to the aircraft and no passenger injured.

Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah, the Special Assistant on Media and Public Relation, Mr. Joe Obi, said: “This happened very briefly, and it is as a result of ongoing rehabilitation and upgrade works currently ongoing at the airport which involve lighting upgrade on the landing runway.”