On Wednesday at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, former president Olusegun Obasanjo and other Nigerians escaped death when an Ethiopian airline nearly crashed.
Other prominent Nigerians on the passenger aircraft of Ethiopian Airlines, Boeing 777-300, were Ambassador Ayoola Olukanni, Director General of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA).
Samson Adebayo, Director of Ports Inspection, National Agency for Food And Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and scores of Nigerians and other nationals were also on the aircraft.
The passenger aircraft of Ethiopian Airlines, ET-901, had departed at approximately 9:10 a.m. Ethiopian time from Bole International Airport, Addis Ababa ; 7 a.m. Nigerian time.
The reports reaching us indicated that the nearly five-hour flight from the capital of Ethiopia to Lagos was smooth until the pilot attempted to land at Murtala Mohammed International Airport.
Instead of landing on the runway’s first touchline, due to rain and heavy wind, the pilot overshot it, landing on the third touchline.
The pilot quickly maneuvered the plane back air on realizing this, flying out of Lagos airport.
After hovering around Lagos and areas suspected to be in Ogun, causing panic in passengers and crew members, the plane landed in Lagos airport, some 20 minutes after the initial false landing.
On landing, the atmosphere in the airbus was a replica of what can be obtained in some Nigerian worship centers, as many passengers broke out into songs of worship and clapping, while some fell in prayer to their knees.
NCAA officials were unable to confirm the incident as the Agency’s General Manager of Public Relations, Sam Adurogboye, stated that no incident had been reported in Lagos so far, while the General Manager, Public Relations, Accident Investigation Bureau, Tunji Oketunbi, stated that no incident notification had been received from any airline.
But Ethiopian Airlines ‘ Duty Manager and Chief Customer Service (Nigeria), Otori Otan, told the press that the plane would have overshot the runway if the pilot had continued taxing down after landing on the third touchline.
“But this is a skilled pilot. He immediately realized this.
“When he realized the situation, fortunately the distance still allowed him to take off and renegotiate landing,” Mr Otori said.
He added that while confirming that the wind obscured the pilot’s vision, the incident was not out of place.
Mr Otori also revealed that most of the aircraft flying from Murtala Mohammed International Airport had to fly against the heavy wind of midday.
“These things are happening. That’s where the aircraft’s sophistication and the cabin crew members ‘ experience come in.
“The aircraft is one of the best you can have, and we’re lucky to have pilots who know their onions,” he said.
In addition, Ikechi Uko, Ethiopian Airlines ‘ media consultant, confirmed that the aircraft had a “missed approach” to landing due to poor visibility due to bad weather.
“The aircraft subsequently made an air return before successfully landing.”
He said the effort of the pilot was consistent with the Aviation Safety and Recommended Practices (SARPS)
Both Messrs Obasanjo and Olukanni attended a Continental Trade Stakeholders Dialog and Strengthening the Implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) in Addis Ababa on Tuesday.
The incident occurred two months after another Ethiopian Airlines crashed from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport in Ethiopia to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya, on a scheduled international passenger flight.
