United Nigeria Airlines plane skids off runway in Lagos airport | NSIB begins probe

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) says it has commenced an investigation into an incident involving a United Nigeria Airlines plane at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos.

The plane, an Embraer ERJ145, with registration number 5N-BWY, was carrying 51 passengers and four crew members en route from Abuja to Lagos.

The incident was said to have occurred on Friday, September 8, 2023, at around 6:33 pm.

In a statement on Saturday, Tunji Oketunbi, director of public affairs and consumer protection at NSIB, said the aircraft, after landing, skidded off runway 18R.

The bureau, however, said there were no injuries or fatalities reported.

“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 statement reads.

“The bureau can be reached through [email protected] 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.”

Speaking on the investigation, Oketunbi told TheCable that the bureau has made progress.

“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,” he said.

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.