EXCLUSIVE: Airplane Carrying Nigerian Governors Catches Fire
An aircraft belonging to Max Air experienced an engine fire incident shortly after takeoff from the Muhammadu Buhari International Airport in Maiduguri.
According to information obtained from airport sources on Thursday morning, the incident occured on Wednesday evening, necessitating the aircraft, which was en route to Abuja with nearly 80 passengers on board, including the Deputy Governor of Borno State, Usman Kadafur, to make an emergency return to the Maiduguri Airport.
No fatalities were reported.
Mr Kadafur’s spokesperson, Dogo Shettima, also confirmed the incident to Naija News House when contacted on Thursday, adding that his principal is well and safe.
“Yes it is true and he is safe. They have to safe land and later got another flight to Abuja late evening,” he said in an interview with this medium.
Also, Lucy Dlama, a Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Borno State on women affairs, who was also on the flight, confirmed the incident.
She described their survival as a “miracle”.
“We were airborne when we suddenly heard a deafening cracking sound, and then the aircraft began to behave erratically as we began to see sparks of fire,” she narrated.
“It was truly terrifying as the pilot told us we cannot proceed then the plane started to turn for an emergency landing. It was only after we landed that we learned there had been a fire incident affecting one of the engines.”
Sources at the airport said the aircraft came from Lagos to pick up passengers and that it began experiencing issues about ten minutes after takeoff when one of its engines went up in flames.
“The pilot had to shut down the affected engine while attempting to land with the remaining one. After a terrifying struggle, he successfully brought the plane back to the runway,” another passenger recounted.
Several calls to Max Air numbers posted on the website were left unanswered, as the airline management is yet to speak on the incident as of press time.
When contacted, the spokesperson of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Michael Achimugu, said the agency has not been briefed about the incident and that he will revert back later in the evening.
“I have not been briefed. I will confirm and revert later tonight,” he said.
While many passengers reportedly had to forfeit their trip after the near-tragic event,
Mr Kadafur and a few others were put on another aircraft.
Over the past one year, Max Air has been grappling with regulatory hurdles amidst perceived safety concerns.
In May last year, it was reported how panic erupted at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja after an aircraft belonging to Max Air crash-landed on the runway of the airport.
Similarly, in July last year, the NCAA suspended Max Air Boeing 737 ( parts A3 and D43) aircraft from operation over safety concerns.
At the time, the regulators said the action was based on several distress occurrences that involved the airline’s Boeing B737 aircraft types, urging the airline management to take necessary action before it can resume operations.
