‘It wasn’t a crash’ —  Enugu Air CEO clarifies Benin Airport incident

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The Chief Executive Officer and Accountable Manager of Enugu Air, Captain Tolu Ita, has clarified that the airline’s recent runway excursion at the Benin Airport was not a crash or an emergency landing, assuring the public that everyone on board the aircraft was safe.

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Speaking in a video shared on the airline’s official social media page on Friday, Ita said the incident occurred after the aircraft hydroplaned on the runway during landing, causing it to veer off the runway.

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She emphasised that despite the seriousness of the occurrence, there were no injuries or fatalities.

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“We are deeply grateful that all passengers and crew members are safe. Most importantly, there were no injuries and no casualties,” Ita said.

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According to her, the aircraft was operating a scheduled flight from Lagos to Benin when the incident happened during its landing roll.

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“Following a scheduled flight from Lagos to Benin, the aircraft landed and, due to hydroplaning on the runway, experienced a runway excursion during the landing roll,” she explained.

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Ita dismissed reports describing the occurrence as a crash or emergency landing.

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“This was not a crash nor was it an emergency landing, but it was a serious incident,” she said.

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She disclosed that Enugu Air was working closely with the relevant aviation authorities as investigations into the incident continue.

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“As is standard practice across the global aviation industry, a full investigation is being conducted in close collaboration with the relevant aviation agencies to establish the complete facts surrounding this occurrence. We are committed to full cooperation with these agencies and will share verified updates as they become available,” she stated.

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Reaffirming the airline’s commitment to passenger safety, Ita said the welfare of travellers remains its highest priority.

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“Nothing matters to us more than safety and the well-being of those who choose to fly with us. Safety is, and will always remain, the foundation of who we are as an airline,” she said.

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She also expressed appreciation to passengers, crew members, airport and military personnel, emergency responders, partners and members of the public for their support following the incident, adding, “We understand the trust that passengers place in us every time they choose to fly with us, and we will never take that trust for granted… We will not let you down.”

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The incident occurred on Thursday when an Enugu Air Embraer E170 operating Flight 4264 from Lagos overran the end of Runway 05 while landing at the Benin Airport.

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The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau has since opened an investigation into the runway excursion. The agency confirmed that all 63 passengers and five crew members were safely accounted for, with no injuries recorded, adding that a preliminary report would be released within 30 days in line with aviation regulations.

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