Enugu Air Flight Skids Off Benin Runway in Heavy Rain; All 68 Safe
A scheduled flight from Lagos to Benin came to a halt in the grass beyond Runway 05 on Wednesday afternoon after an Embraer E170 slid past the end of the tarmac in driving rain.
Enugu Air Flight 4264, registered as 5N-ENR, landed at Benin Airport at 3:10 p.m. with 63 passengers and five crew. Instead of stopping on the paved surface, the aircraft rolled past the threshold and settled nose-deep in soft ground. All 68 people on board were accounted for, and both the airline and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau confirmed there were no fatalities.
The NSIB dispatched its Go Team to the scene almost immediately. Captain Alex Badeh Jr., the bureau's Director-General, said the quick response demonstrated the team's preparedness. "While we are relieved that everyone is safe, every runway excursion is a serious occurrence that deserves a thorough and independent investigation," he stated, urging the public not to speculate. A preliminary report, he added, would be issued within the mandated 30-day window.
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and airport management have been formally notified, and the aircraft has been cordoned off.
People living along the airport fence line heard a sharp noise that broke through the sound of the rain. Michael Udoh, whose home sits a few hundred metres from the runway, recalled a loud bang that made him think something had fallen from above. "I came out and saw the plane on the ground. I just thanked God nobody died," he said.
Moses Idowu, a shop owner near the airport, watched the aircraft's final approach. "The plane came down, then lifted a bit, like the pilot was trying to climb back up, and then it dropped," he said. "The rain was heavy. Something broke off the plane—maybe a panel or part of the landing gear. We saw pieces fall." Idowu added that the engine note didn't sound right in the last few seconds before touchdown.
While the NSIB maintained that no injuries were recorded, word spread that a few passengers had been taken to a private hospital for observation. As news of the incident filtered out, relatives began arriving at the airport gates. Security personnel held the crowd at bay as evening approached.