Over 120 passengers, including the Director, Muslim Rights Concern, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, on Friday evening escaped death as an Aero Contractors Airline Flight 180 from Lagos to Kaduna developed technical fault mid-air.
The aircraft was said to have suddenly lost altitude, 20 minutes after it departed the domestic wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, forcing the aircraft to wobble in the air for over one hour before it was eventually diverted to Abuja.
Akintola, who broke the news to New Mail, said the flight took off from Lagos at exactly 6.30pm.
He said 20 minutes into the flight, the aircraft lost altitude and the passengers had to make use of the oxygen masks as the plane continued to wobble, while dropping steadily.
Akintola said, “The plane lost altitude 20 minutes after takeoff. We had to make use of the oxygen masks. We saw smoke outside the plane, probably coming from the engine compartment.
“At this time, the whole plane was thrown into commotion. Many passengers screamed and some fainted. Prayers upon prayers were offered. Some shouted Allah, others Jesus.”
Akintola said it was in the midst of the commotion that the crew, whom he commended for their professionalism and unusual calmness, announced that the plane would be diverted to Abuja.
He said, “While the pilot was making the announcement of the flight diversion, I noticed that his voice was trembling. He told us that Abuja was 120 miles away and that we would land in 25 minutes. But we were not sure we would make it.
“In fact, I quickly recited the Kalimah (the Quranic invocation of the oneness of Allah), believing that the end had come,” Akintola added in messages to New Mail.
He said that the plane finally touched down in Abuja at about 9.00pm and upon landing in Abuja, the officials of the airline told the devastated passengers that the fault would be hurriedly repaired and that the plane would proceed to take them to Kaduna, their original destination.
As of the time he spoke with New Mail at about 9.30pm, he said he was already in a taxi taking him from Abuja to Kaduna as he could not risk being “flown in the same aircraft that was divinely saved from crashing.”
Akintola said, “As I am talking to you, I am now in a taxi taking me to Kaduna. They said they wanted to repair the plane and that we should wait so it takes us to Kaduna. Allah forbids. They asked how many of us wanted to disembark and almost everybody came out.”
A statement by the airline read, “Aero confirms that there was depressurisation in the aircraft cabin leading to the dropping of oxygen mask. And since Aero has a maintenance facility in Abuja, the flight to Kaduna was diverted to Abuja this evening to fix the problem.”
The General Manager, Public Affairs, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Mr. Fan Ndubuoke, said he had yet to be briefed on the matter.
Fix ke! People made it alive just by a slim chance and you want to tempt them one more time. Thank God this one was averted. This is bow people are killed by a tiny mistake from airliners. The aviation industry need total overhauling, I'd say.
ReplyDeleteI have been saying this along while now,whoever owns aero must be a top government official,otherwise why wouldn't the government look into aero and all these calamitous nature.the would fix a flight time and miss it,always apologising,what about the insults we get from their staffs who can't even afford flight tickets, go about insulting us while boarding,yet collecting bribe et c.i hope the government dies something too fast
ReplyDeleteThe question I love to ask is; did the airline eventually made provision for the inconvenienes including transportation to Kaduna, lodging in Abuja for those that disembarked. I'm sure Aero used the trick to exonerate the company from liabilities. How would they expect someone in his right senses to agree to still travel with such plane from Abuja to Kaduna? All in the name of corruption and unfairness to passengers! These airline owners are heartless! Above all, we thank God for granting you that favour of touching down safely....Bam Bam
ReplyDeleteMallam AKIN, truly "God forbid" U take that same flight to KADUNA
ReplyDeleteWe thank God, the giver of all things. Nothing to fear, everything in life has is own risk. Let us put our life in his care and it will be well secured.
ReplyDeleteWe thank God, the giver of all things. Nothing to fear, everything in life has is own risk. Let us put our life in his care and it will be well secured.
ReplyDeleteIf you don't know about aviation I believe you ask those that know so u can lean one or two things.if going on a flight I believe you will be briefed in case u loss cabin pressure use your oxygen mask once that is done all the pilot need do is to decend to a lower altitude were oxygen is abundant b4 you then remove the mask which I believe that was the exact procedure the pilots followed.this a machine and that can develop machinists fault at any time,all over the world things like this do happen thank God we have the training professional pilots that just did what they've been training.Saying a crash was averted was total rubbish because the aircraft was under control all the way to Abuja .
ReplyDeleteAlso we have NCAA that are totally concern about the safety of all aircraft in the Nigerian airspace,saying the same aircraft was to go to kaduna last night was another blatant lies by mediocas that just want to be relevant,from reliable source another aircraft was sent to Abuja last night to convey the passages willing to continue to kaduna,the so aircraft with fault is still on ground Abuja until NCAA is certain is fit for operations.
Please let's get our fact right before publishing crazy lies to scare the public.if you were on a flight to london and u experience such, I guess u will continue the journey with Ikene Dilichuku all the way to heatrol
Al i have to say is THANK YOU LORD !................
ReplyDelete