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May
May
AIR PEACE AIRCRAFT GROUNDED AFTER COLLISION WITH ANTELOPE AT ABUJA AIRPORT
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CapitalTimesNews / 2 months
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- 2 min read
An Air Peace aircraft was grounded at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja after colliding with a large antelope while taxiing on the runway. The incident, which resulted in significant damage to the aircraft, caused disruptions to scheduled flights as the plane was marked Aircraft on Ground (AOG). According to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the collision occurred when the Air Peace aircraft ran into the antelope, decimating the animal. Director of Public Affairs & Consumer Protection, Mr. Michael Achimugu, explained that such unforeseen occurrences are part of the challenges that lead to flight disruptions. “Monitoring reports yesterday indicated that an Air Peace aircraft ran into a large antelope, decimating the animal and leaving the aircraft on ground,” Achimugu said. “As a result, flights meant to be operated by this aircraft would naturally be disrupted, even though engineers are on the ground to assess and fix the plane. Passengers waiting would naturally be infuriated.” Achimugu emphasized that while the incident was beyond the airline’s control, Air Peace is still obligated to inform passengers, provide refunds, and extend necessary care. “Even with situations like this, the airline still owes its passengers the information, refund, and other forms of care they are entitled to, and can still be sanctioned if they fail to provide the same,” he added. A source close to the airline disputed the details of the incident, stating that the collision occurred during landing and that aviation procedures were swiftly followed to inspect and repair the aircraft. “It happened upon landing. As an aviation procedure, the aircraft has been checked and fixed. It was not a big issue,” the source stated. The NCAA has assured passengers of safety measures at the airport and promised to investigate the runway intrusion to prevent future occurrences.