Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has commenced an investigation into an incident involving a United Nigeria Airlines plane at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria
Gatekeepers News reports that the plane, an Embraer ERJ145, with registration number 5N-BWY, was carrying 51 passengers and four crew members en route from Abuja to Lagos.
According to reports, the incident was said to have occurred on Friday, September 8, 2023, at around 6:33 pm.
The Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at NSIB, Tunji Oketunbi in a statement on Saturday, said the aircraft, after landing, skidded off runway 18R.
The bureau, however, said there were no injuries or fatalities reported.
The statement read, “The NSIB, hereby, solicits information from the general public in the form of pictures, video, or recording evidence to assist in conducting a comprehensive investigation.
“The bureau can be reached through info@aib.gov.ng and NSIB_Nigeria on its social media platforms. The bureau can also be reached on its emergency line +234-807-709-0909.
“The NSIB will appreciate that the general public and press respect the privacy of the people involved and not assume the cause of the serious incident until the formal report is released.
“The NSIB is a multimodal investigation agency charged with the mandate to investigate transportation accidents and serious incidents in Nigeria with the aim of identifying the probable causes and proffer safety recommendations that can prevent reoccurrence.
“The bureau will release the preliminary report soon.”
Oketunbi, while speaking on the investigation, said that the NSIB has made progress.
He said, “We are at the top of our game on this incident. We are waiting to ensure that crew members and passengers get all medical attention before we begin interrogation.”
Meanwhile, this is not the first time the airline is overshooting the runway.
On May 31, 2023, a United Nigeria Airlines plane with 50 passengers on board, and inbound Lagos from the airport in Abakaliki, Ebonyi state, skidded off runway 18L at the Murtala Mohammed Airport 2 in Lagos.
