An aircraft arriving from Enugu skidded off the runway after landing at the Benin Airport on Thursday amid torrential rainfall, but no injuries were recorded.
The incident initially sparked concerns of a possible crash, but the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) clarified that the aircraft landed safely before veering off the runway due to the adverse weather conditions.
The Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the NCAA, Michael Achimugu, dismissed reports suggesting that the aircraft had crashed.
According to him, the incident was not a crash but a runway excursion caused by the heavy rainfall.
“The aircraft landed safely but skidded off the runway due to the adverse weather conditions,” Achimugu said.
No casualties or injuries were reported, and all passengers and crew members were said to be safe.
A video obtained by SaharaReporters shows passengers making their way out of the aircraft after it skidded into a swampy area.
Efforts to obtain comments from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) were unsuccessful. The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of FAAN, Mrs. Olubunmi Oluwaseun Kuku, did not respond to calls to her mobile phone as of the time of filing this report.
The circumstances surrounding the incident were not immediately clear, while aviation authorities are expected to provide further details.
