No fewer than 68 passengers escaped unharmed on Thursday after an Enugu Air aircraft veered off the runway shortly after landing at the Benin Airport in Edo State.
The aircraft, identified by registration number 5N-ENR, was operating a scheduled Enugu–Benin–Lagos flight when the incident occurred.
Airport sources said the aircraft failed to stop within the designated runway area, overshot the landing strip and came to rest in a grassy area near the airport.
Emergency responders from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) quickly arrived at the scene and safely evacuated all passengers and crew members from the aircraft.
An airport official, who requested anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, confirmed that no injuries or fatalities were recorded.
“The aircraft left the runway after landing, but everyone on board was evacuated safely. There was no loss of life,” the source said.
The incident caused a temporary disruption to airport operations as emergency personnel secured the area and assessed the situation.
As of the time of filing this report, aviation authorities had yet to issue an official statement on the cause of the runway excursion. An investigation is expected to determine the circumstances that led to the incident. More details are expected as inquiries continue.
