An Air Peace plane was forced to halt operations after colliding with an antelope while taxiing on the runway of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
The animal was crushed by the plane.
The accident caused disruptions to the airline’s scheduled flights.
Confirming the incident, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) said through its Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mr. Michael Achimugu, that such unexpected events are part of the operational challenges that sometimes lead to flight delays.
Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Achimugu explained, “Monitoring reports yesterday indicated that an Air Peace aircraft ran into a large antelope, decimating the animal and leaving the aircraft on ground.
“As a result, flights meant to be operated by this aircraft would naturally be disrupted, even though engineers are on the ground to assess and fix the plane. Passengers waiting would naturally be infuriated.”
He added that while the incident was beyond Air Peace’s control, the airline was still responsible for promptly informing passengers, issuing refunds when necessary, and providing care.
He warned that the NCAA would sanction the airline if it failed to meet its obligations.
A source close to Air Peace, while speaking with News360 Nigeria, clarified that the incident happened during landing and was immediately handled in line with aviation procedures.
“It happened upon landing. As an aviation procedure, the aircraft has been checked and fixed. It was not a big issue,” the source noted.
