Lagos, Nigeria – In a startling incident at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on Friday evening, an aircraft belonging to United Nigerian Airlines, bearing registration number 5NBWY, skidded off the runway during a challenging landing in the midst of torrential rainfall.
The incident occurred at approximately 6:48 pm local time, sending shockwaves through the airport. Eyewitnesses reported that the heavy rain made the landing exceptionally difficult for the flight crew.
For safety reasons, airport authorities temporarily closed the airfield, causing delays in scheduled flights. However, efficient response efforts allowed the runway to reopen at 8:10 pm.
Fortunately, there were no casualties reported in the incident. Passengers and crew members aboard the affected aircraft, numbering 51 passengers and four crew members, were successfully evacuated around 8:00 pm.
The National Emergency Management Agency took to social media, specifically on X (formerly Twitter), to provide official confirmation of the incident, stating, “A United Nigerian Airline flight, with 51 passengers and 4 crew members on board, skidded off the local runway while attempting to land under very high rainfall at about 18:48 hours. All passengers evacuated successfully without casualty. The airspace has been opened for operations now.”
This incident serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by aviation during adverse weather conditions and highlights the importance of well-coordinated emergency response procedures. Further investigations will be conducted to determine the exact cause of the aircraft skidding off the runway.
