Flights into Abuja disrupted after Air Peace plane collides with antelope on runway

AIR flights into and out of Abuja were disrupted over the weekend after an Air Peace aircraft collided with an antelope while taxiing on the runway of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport leading to a temporary shutdown of the facility.

Due to the incident, there were disruptions to scheduled flights as the affected plane was marked aircraft on ground (AOG). Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) spokesman Michael Achimugu, confirmed the incident, pointing out that such unforeseen occurrences were part of the challenges that usually lead to flight disruptions.

Mr Achimugu said: “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. Passengers waiting would naturally be infuriated.”

He added that while the incident was beyond the airline’s control, Air Peace is still obligated to inform passengers, provide refunds and extend necessary care. Mr Achimugu stressed that the NCAA would not hesitate to sanction the airline if it fails in its responsibilities.