Air Peace Overshoots Runway In Port Harcourt. All Passengers And Crew Unhurt

An Air Peace Flight P47291 with about 200 passengers and crew onboard from Abuja on Saturday skidded off the runway at the Port Harcourt Airport, Omagwa, while landing.

However, there was no casualty in the incident which occurred at 3.42 p.m.

The General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs Henrietta Yakubu, who confirmed the incident, said it resulted from the heavy downpour at the airport.

Yakubu said although the Boeing 737-500 aircraft skidded off the runway, the pilot was able to stop the aircraft.

She noted that in spite of the rain, the undercarriage of the aircraft did not sink into the soil.

“All passengers disembarked successfully. There was no casualty,” the FAAN spokeswoman said.

The Chief Operating Officer of Air Peace, Oluwatoyin Olajide, attributed the incident to the flooding of the runway.

“We confirm that Air Peace Flight Flight P47291 Abuja-Port Harcourt had a runway excursion upon landing at the Port Harcourt International Airport on June 22 due to downpour.

“Our professional crew quickly recovered within seconds of the incident and the aircraft was successfully normalised.

“Our esteemed passengers on board the flight were calm during the incident and disembarked normally.

“Our teams of experts and the authorities are currently reviewing the incident and we will give our cooperation for a thorough exercise.