This is a situation Air Peace would definitely like to avoid but unfortunately, the airline operator can’t at the moment. This is because it’s ‘antagonist, the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), disclosed that it has dispatched investigators to the accident scene in Rivers State. Both AIB and Air Peace have a history of accusations, ‘witch-hunt’, and distrust.
As Nairametrics reported yesterday, an Air Peace plane had skidded off the runway at Port Harcourt International Airport in Omagwa on Saturday, ending up in the bush. Luckily enough, no life was lost or injured in the course of the accident. The plane overshot the runway while touching down at the airport during heavy rainfall.
The AIB acknowledged that it was notified of the Air Peace incident. But no further disclosure has been made by the agency which is under Nigeria’s Ministry of Transportation.
AIB is charged with the responsibility of investigating any civil aircraft accident and serious incident arising out of, or in the course of air navigation and occurring either in or over Nigeria or occurring to Nigerian aircraft elsewhere.
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“The AIB has been notified of the Air Peace flight from Abuja to Port Harcourt with 94 passengers and six crew members on board with Registration marks 5N-BRN.
“The aircraft skidded off the runway to the left about 1300m from the runway 21 threshold at the Port Harcourt International Airport.
“All passengers and crew have been evacuated safely. AIB has dispatched investigators who are on their way to the site,” The Investigation Bureau said.
Witch-hunt history: Both AIB and Air Peace have a history of confrontation over concealing information of similar incidents. In the past, AIB has accused Air Peace of a frustrating investigation into incidents involving the company’s planes by not fully co-operating during the investigation.
AIB listed some of the recent incidents involving the airline;
- An accident involving Air Peace Boeing 737-300 aircraft with Registration Marks 5N-BUK.
- An incident on the runway 18R at the Lagos Airport in May.
- There was also another incident in December when a Boeing 737-300 belonging to the airline experienced some difficulties while en route the Akanu Ibiam International Airport from Lagos.
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While the Accident Investigation Bureau claimed that none of these incidents was properly investigated because of the airline’s lack of co-operation, Air Peace issued a press statement describing the AIB’s utterances as a “witch hunt”.
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