The Chief Executive Officer of Enugu Air, Captain Tolu Ita, has dismissed reports describing the airline’s recent runway incident at Benin Airport as a crash, insisting that all passengers and crew members were safe and that there were no injuries or fatalities.
Speaking in a video shared on the airline’s official social media platforms on Friday, Ita explained that the aircraft experienced a runway excursion after hydroplaning during landing.
According to her, the aircraft was operating a scheduled flight from Lagos to Benin when it landed safely but veered off the runway during the landing roll because of wet runway conditions.
“Following a scheduled flight from Lagos to Benin, the aircraft landed and, due to hydroplaning on the runway, experienced a runway excursion during the landing roll,” she said.
Ita stressed that although the incident was serious, it should not be described as either a crash or an emergency landing.
“This was not a crash nor was it an emergency landing, but it was a serious incident,” she stated.
She expressed gratitude that everyone on board escaped unharmed.
“We are deeply grateful that all passengers and crew members are safe. Most importantly, there were no injuries and no casualties,” Ita said.
The airline’s CEO also disclosed that Enugu Air is cooperating fully with the relevant aviation authorities investigating the incident.
“A full investigation is being conducted in close collaboration with the relevant aviation agencies to establish the complete facts surrounding this occurrence. We are committed to full cooperation and will share verified updates as they become available,” she added.
Reaffirming the airline’s commitment to safety, Ita assured passengers that their well-being remains the company’s highest priority.
“Nothing matters to us more than safety and the well-being of those who choose to fly with us. Safety is, and will always remain, the foundation of who we are as an airline,” she said.
She also thanked passengers, crew members, airport officials, military personnel, emergency responders, partners and members of the public for their support following the incident.
The runway excursion occurred on Thursday, when an Enugu Air Embraer E170 operating Flight 4264 from Lagos overshot the end of Runway 05 while landing at Benin Airport.
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has since launched an investigation into the incident. The agency confirmed that all 63 passengers and five crew members were safely accounted for without injuries and said a preliminary report is expected within 30 days in line with aviation regulations.
Source : EnuguAir
