close
Thursday, January 5, 2023

NAHCO ground equipment collides with Air Peace aircraft, damages plane

“The NAHCO staff had no reason to be where he was and he was not assigned to the aircraft and how he rammed into our aircraft is still shocking.”

• January 5, 2023
Air Peace Plane
Air Peace Plane[ Photo Credit: The Guardian Nigeria]

Air Peace Airline has urged the aviation authorities to look into the ground handling equipment that collided and damaged its aircraft elevator at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos.

Spokesman of Air Peace, Stanley Olisa, who confirmed the incident in Lagos on Wednesday, said the aircraft was scheduled to fly passengers to Owerri from Lagos.

Mr Olisa explained that the aircraft was an Airbus A320 aircraft belonging to Air Peace with the registration number: A320 ES-SAZ and that the incident disrupted scheduled flight operations after one of the ground handling company’s equipment rammed into one of its aircraft.

“This same aircraft was positioned for about 10 flights on the same day. However, the incident changed all that, causing a ripple that affected the airline’s schedule,” the airline’s official. “This is the third time in one month that the aircraft is grounded, and we don’t know when it will be up again. The NAHCO staff had no reason to be where he was and he was not assigned to the aircraft and how he rammed into our aircraft is still shocking.”

The Air Peace official added, “This is going to cause revenue loss for us as an airline because the aircraft was scheduled to operate several flights today (Wednesday) but could not do so. This has caused flight disruptions and delays. Hence, the authorities should investigate the incident and take necessary actions.”

Mr Olisa said the airline had formally complained to NAHCO management about the incident.

Reacting, the Group Executive Director of Business and Corporate Services (GED), NAHCO, Sola Obabori, confirmed the incident.

Mr Obabori said, “We have a very cordial relationship with the airline, and we have been together all these years. We serve them diligently and professionally. Our staff are well-trained, accidents do happen. You will agree with me that aircraft do crash due to human error.”

The NAHCO official added, “In this particular case, the staff was driving on the runway to attend to another flight that arrived before Air Peace. He was driving towards that direction and wanted to support that operation, but he committed an error in terms of processes he was supposed to follow, which he didn’t follow.”

(NAN)

We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.

More from Peoples Gazette

IKEJA MAGISTRATE

Lagos

Police nab welder, 51, for defiling seven-year-old girl

“He told the girl not to tell anyone. She, however, told her grandmother when she felt pains in her private parts,” the prosecutor explained.

Military Pensions Board

NationWide

Military board begins paying security debarment allowance 

On Thursday, the Military Pensions Board began the payment of Security Debarment Allowance to eligible military retirees and next-of-kins of deceased pensioners.

Olusegun Obasanjo, Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar and Bola Tinubu

Opinion

Azu Ishiekwene: The Trouble with Obasanjo’s Wish

As president for eight years, Obasanjo vehemently rejected any suggestions to help restructure the country, which would have given the regions a fairer footing. 

Usman Baba Alkali

States

One bandit killed, six suspects nabbed: Police

Police operatives in Zamfara said it had killed a bandit and arrested six suspects for banditry, kidnapping and cattle rustling.

LITHUANIAN NUCLEAR PLANT

World

Lithuanian nuclear plant to be dismantled by U.S. engineers

A consortium led by the U.S. engineering firm Jacobs will dismantle a decommissioned Lithuanian nuclear power plant.

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu

States

Akeredolu imposes 24-hour curfew on crisis-ridden Ondo community 

The Ondo government has imposed a 24-hour dawn-to-dusk curfew on Ikare Akoko in Akoko Northeast local council following a breach of peace.