An airplane belonging to XeJet Airline, which skidded off runway on Saturday while landing at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos, has been recovered from its stuck position in the mud.
The airplane after skidding off the runway, landed in the grass, thereby getting stuck in the mud
It was recovered about 24 hours after the incident happened.
Efforts by emergency responders and other stakeholders to recover the airplane proved abortive on Saturday. This led to the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) ordering that the recovery operations be suspended due to nightfall and continue Sunday morning.
The Airbus with registration 5N-BZZ landed in Lagos at 12.29pm from Abuja. It had 52 passengers on board.
Following the incident, FAAN shut the 18/Left runway of the airport.
“XE Jet Limited, have confirmed that one of their aircraft, an Embraer 145 with registration 5N-BZZ operating on behalf of NG Eagle Airlines suffered a runway excursion whilst landing at Murtala Muhammed Airport’s 18L runway this afternoon at apprixmately 12.29hrs. No casualties were reported.
“We are currently liaising with NCAA, AIB and NISB and associated agencies and will issue a formal update in due course,” the management of the airline had said in a statement.
The airplane was recovered from its stuck position with the aide of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency’s (LASEMA) Super-Metro equipment.
“The Airplane 5N -BZZ has been safely recovered from its stuck position in the mud onto the emergency runway by the Agency’s Super-Metro and towed away by a private Crane with joint efforts of all relevant Agencies that reconverged this morning, Sunday , 12th May 2024, as planned.
“Recovery operation concluded. LASEMA Response Team and equipment have gone back to base,” confirmed in a terse statement.
Saturday’s incident happened less than three weeks after a Dana Air Plane with registration number, 5N BKI skidded off the runway in the same Lagos airport.
Subsequently, Dana Air was shut down by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).