Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo has discounted widespread media reports that he was among the 393 passengers aboard an Ethiopian Airlines plane that had a close call on Wednesday at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos. A spokesperson for the former president, Kehinde Akinyemi told the BBC Pidgin English news that Obasanjo, who boycotted the inauguration ceremony of President Muhammadu Buhari for a second term, was safe and sound in his home at Ota, Abeokuta, Ogun State, saying OBJ never traveled out of the country.
Other prominent Nigerians in the Ethiopian airline included the Director General of Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) Ambassador Ayoola Olukanni. Also in the plane was Prof Samson Tunde Adebayo, the Director of Ports Inspection, National Agency For Food And Drug Administration And Control (NAFDAC) as well as scores of Nigerians and other nationals.
The passenger aircraft, ET-901, had departed the Bole International Airport, Addis Ababa, at about 9:10 am local time for a 5-hour flight to Lagos. A NAN correspondent, who was among the passengers, reported that the almost 5-hour flight from the Ethiopian capital to Lagos had been smooth until the pilot attempted to land at the MMIA in Lagos. Rather than landing on the first touch line of the runway, the pilot over short it, due to rain and heavy wind, landing on the third touchline.
NAN reports that on realizing this, the pilot quickly maneuvered the plane back air, flying out of the Lagos airport. After hovering between Lagos and areas suspected to be in Ogun, causing panic in passengers and crew members, the plane finally landed in Lagos airport, some 20 minutes after the initial false landing. The atmosphere inside the airline upon landing was replica of what obtains in Nigerian worship centers, as many passengers broke out into praise songs and clapping, while some fell to their knees in prayer.
The General Manager of the Nigeria operations of the airline, Mrs. Firihiewot Mekonnen, in a statement, blamed the incident on bad weather. Mekonnen said the aircraft, carrying 393 passengers from Addis Ababa to Lagos, encountered bad weather during landing. She said the aircraft had to make a go-around-the-airport for better and smooth landing, in line with aviation procedure. “On a second attempt, it made a safe and normal landing. According to safety standards, pilots are encouraged to make a similar go-around in such cases. “However, some media incorrectly reported this standard safety precautionary go-around,” Mekonnen said.
The General Manager, Public Relations of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Sam Adurogboye, also confirmed the incident, saying however, that the aircraft did not overshoot the runway. “Ethiopian Airlines came into Lagos at a time it was raining and reduced visibility, hence it had to go back and hovered for a while. “Finally, it came back and landed safely,” he said.
Also, the Duty Manager in charge of customer service operations, Otori Otan, told NAN that if the pilot had continued taxing down after landing on the third touch line, he would have overshot the runway. “But this is an experienced pilot. He realized this immediately. Fortunately, the distance between when he realized the situation still permitted him to take off and renegotiate landing,” Otori said. He added that the incident was not out of place, while confirming that the wind obscured the pilot’s vision.
Otori also disclosed that most of the aircraft that flew out of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport had to fly against the mid-day heavy wind. “These things happen. That is where the sophistication of the aircraft and experience of the cabin crew members come in. The aircraft is one of the best you can have around and we are fortunate to have pilots who know their onions” he said.
Furthermore, Ikechi Uko, Media Consultant to Ethiopian Airline, confirmed that the aircraft had a “missed approach” while about landing due to poor visibility caused by inclement weather. “The aircraft thereafter made an air return before it proceeded to land successfully.” He said the pilot’s effort was in line with the Safety and Recommended Practices (SARPS) in aviation
