An Air Peace flight bound for Lagos was unexpectedly grounded on Thursday morning after a bird strike occurred at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. The flight, which was scheduled to depart at 6:30 a.m., had just begun taxiing on the runway when the incident took place.
Inibehe Effiong, a Lagos-based human rights lawyer who was onboard, took to social media to share the details of the event. He described the situation as chaotic, with passengers experiencing panic and distress as the aircraft was suddenly halted. Effiong quoted the captain as attributing the disruption to a bird strike.
“We were taxied on the runway and just before takeoff when the plane stopped abruptly, causing panic and screams among some passengers. The captain informed us that a bird strike had occurred. We were then deboarded to await either a replacement or repairs,” Effiong wrote. “Thankfully, this happened before takeoff. Had it occurred after takeoff, it could have been much more frightening.”
In a swift response, Air Peace acted quickly to resolve the issue. The airline replaced the affected aircraft, allowing passengers to reboard within 30 minutes.
Effiong also expressed concerns regarding the effectiveness of bird control measures at the airport, a point echoed by other passengers who shared their experiences on social media.