Ibom Air had to embark on an emergency evacuation of it’s passengers at the tarmac of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Lagos, following a malfunction of it’s Aircraft.
Flight Q10307, an Airbus A220 aircraft, departed Abuja for Lagos at 10.30am with 128 passengers onboard and landed at the international runway in Lagos on schedule at 11.41am.
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Reports have it that upon taxing off the runway, the pilots noticed an indication from the main wheels, suggesting a malfunction. Immediately, an announcement that the aircraft will be tolled followed.
Efforts were made by the pilots to reassure the passengers of their safety, but they remained uncomfortable with the development. The airline buses were then rushed to the tarmac to evacuate the passengers, while the airline engineers tried to address the issue and move the aircraft out of the runway.
In a statement signed by the General Manager, Marketing and Communications, Aniekan Essienette, the airline explained that the 10:30 am flight from Abuja with 128 passengers and crew had to abort taxing to the domestic terminal and disembarked the passengers at the cargo apron of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos from where they were moved by buses to the domestic terminal, MMA2.
The statement from the airline said,
“We would like to bring to your attention the reason behind the disembarkation of our passengers at the Cargo Apron of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos.
“Ibom Air Flight Q10307, the 10.30 am flight from Abuja to Lagos departed on time and landed normally at the international runway in Lagos, on schedule at 11.41 am. Upon taxiing off the runway, the pilots noticed an indication from the main wheels, suggesting a malfunction.
“In accordance with company procedure, rather than taxi the full distance to the domestic terminal, the crew opted to turn off into the international cargo apron from where stairs and buses were positioned to disembark the passengers and taken to the domestic arrival hall. All 128 passengers on board were safely disembarked and transported to the arrival hall at MMA2, while our Engineers worked on the fault.
“This statement is given to clear any ambiguity while expressing our regrets to our passengers for the inconvenience,” the airline said.
A passenger in the flight with seat number 20K had earlier told THISDAY that the aircraft suffered hydraulic failure on landing. “We are forced to disembark now off the runway. We bless God,” he said.
Nnamdi Maduakor is a Writer, Investor and Entrepreneur
