Popular Nigerian airline, Air Peace Ltd, has confirmed that on Monday 4th November 2024, its 12:50 p.m. flight from Benin to Abuja returned to Benin shortly after takeoff due to a technical issue encountered in flight.
In Nigeria, there is the regular phobia for ember months and disasters, as residents exercise caution towards the end of the year. A passenger plane crash would have spelled disaster.
According to a statement released on the 4th of November 2024, Airpeace in a notice signed by its Head of Corporate Communications, Dr. Ejike Nduilo, in Lagos, describing the return as a necessary safety precaution.
The aircraft landed in Benin safely, and passengers disembarked without incident.
“Our maintenance team is currently troubleshooting the cause of the issue,” Dr. Nduilo stated.
“We are dispatching a replacement aircraft to Benin to minimise disruptions and enable passengers to continue their journeys as soon as possible.”
Air Peace extended an appeal for understanding from affected passengers and those facing delays and reiterated its commitment to maintaining high safety standards.
This is not the first time such is happening. In 2019, with 90 passengers on board, a B737-500 aircraft belonging to Air Peace which departed Lagos for Owerri mid air lost one of its two engines morning. The six man crew which departed Lagos airport returned to Lagos airport 19 minutes after take-off.
Also in 2022, an Air Peace aircraft flying from Lagos to Anambra managed to escape death after its engine stopped working three times at take-off point on Wednesday afternoon. The aircraft, which was scheduled to take off at 11 am, was delayed for two hours after the management of the airline had earlier announced that the plane originally scheduled for the Anambra trip had suddenly developed fault.
