Enugu Air plane narrowly escapes land crashing as it skids off runway at Benin Airport
An aircraft belonging to Enugu Air has narrowly escaped crashing when it skidded off the runway at the Benin Airport, Edo State.
The aircraft operated by Enugu Air veered off the runway after landing at Benin Airport today, triggering an emergency response at the airport.
In a statement, the airline confirmed that all passengers and crew members were safely evacuated and that no injuries or fatalities were recorded.
“The aircraft has been secured and the relevant aviation authorities have been notified in line with established procedures. An assessment of the aircraft and the circumstances surrounding the occurrence is currently underway,” the airline said.
The incident temporarily disrupted flight operations at the airport as emergency responders secured the aircraft and aviation officials began assessing the situation.
Enugu Air said the runway excursion may result in temporary adjustments to some flight schedules, adding that affected passengers would be contacted directly and provided with the necessary assistance.
The airline assured the public that the safety of its passengers, crew and operations remains its highest priority, noting that it is cooperating fully with the relevant aviation authorities as investigations into the incident continue.
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) said it will investigate the runway excursion involving the Embraer E170 aircraft at Benin airport.
The NSIB said the aircraft, operating as Flight 4264 (registration 5N-ENR) from Lagos (LOS) to Benin (BNI), got involved in the runway excursion after overrunning the end of Runway 05 during landing.
It also confirmed that all passengers and crew have been accounted for, while no injuries have been reported.
“The NSIB’s Go Team was mobilised and on the ground at the occurrence site within minutes of notification, underscoring the Bureau’s commitment to a rapid and effective emergency response,” it said in a statement signed by its Director, Public Affairs and Family Assistance, Mrs. Funke Adebayo-Arowojobe.
“The team is gathering and preserving evidence, interviewing the flight crew and other relevant personnel, examining the aircraft, assessing runway conditions, and reviewing all other relevant operational and technical information to determine the circumstances and contributing factors to the occurrence.”
But the Nigerian fast-rising rapper cum content creator, Chinedu, also known as Triple Pin, has recounted how passengers escaped death on the Enugu Air aircraft that veered off the runway while landing at the Benin Airport.
Triple Pin, in a video shared on his Instagram page after the incident, said the experience had changed his perspective on life. The rapper said the heavy rainfall severely affected visibility during the flight, leaving him wondering how the pilot was navigating the weather.
According to him, the pilot lost control, and the aircraft circled repeatedly while attempting to land before things suddenly went wrong. The content creator added that the aircraft did not burst into flames after leaving the runway because of the rain.
He said, “This is how these big dreams would have gone. Our plane crashed today. I used to see things like this in movies and on social media. I thought it was limited to that.
“The whole window was blurry because rain was falling. I was wondering how the pilot was able to continue despite the weather.
“When we got to our destination, and it was time to land, the pilot was rotating in the air, looking for where to land.
“He kept rotating, and that was how he lost control and moved towards the bush. All of a sudden, all I heard was noise. Everybody was in panic.
“The reason our plane didn’t catch fire was because rain was falling. That is how I would have died. That is how these big dreams would have been unfulfilled. I came out with no injury.”
