On Tuesday night, an incident involving a Max Air flight caused panic among passengers as the plane experienced a tyre burst during landing at Mallam Aminu International Airport in Kano.
Gatekeepers News reports that Flight VM1605, which departed from Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA) in Lagos, was carrying approximately 53 passengers. The tyre burst occurred at 10:57, according to reports from passengers on board.
Fortunately, all passengers were safely evacuated from the aircraft, and there were no reported injuries.
According to reports, the incident may have been caused by the loss of the nose landing gear tyre during the landing process.
One of the passengers, Abdullahi Ibrahim, described the moment onboard as tense. He said, “As soon as we landed, there was a loud sound, and the plane shook violently. Some passengers started praying, but the crew assured us everything was under control. We are just grateful to be safe.”
Max Air, on Wednesday morning via their official X account, announced that: “As a result, the Kano runway will remain temporarily closed for inspection and clearance, which may lead to delays in flight operations today, Wednesday, 29/01/2024.
“We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused and appreciate your patience as we await further updates on the runway reopening,” the airline added.
Max Air reassured the public that the situation was handled professionally. “Our crew handled the situation professionally, ensuring the safe evacuation of all passengers and crew members. There were no injuries, and the aircraft has since been removed from the runway as of 04:28,” the airline stated.
The airline praised its engineering team for its swift response and assured passengers that updates on flight schedules would be provided as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, normal flight operations have resumed at the Kano airport.
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority through their official X account on Wednesday morning confirmed that the incident involved Flight VM1605, with registration number 5N-MBD.
According to the NCAA, “The pilot, cabin crew, and all 53 passengers were safely disembarked with no injuries recorded.”
The agency further stated that the aircraft had been moved from the runway to Taxiway B.
“The aircraft has been removed from the runway to Taxiway B. The NCAA has directed that a thorough runway inspection be carried out before the runway is opened.
“The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau has taken charge of the investigation,” the agency said.
