Just in: Abuja airport shut down temporarily after cargo plane skids off runway

A dramatic incident unfolded at Abuja’s Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) on Wednesday when an Allied Air Cargo aircraft with registration no. 5N-JRT suffered a tyre burst and skidded off Runway 22, prompting the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to temporarily shut down the runway.

The plane, arriving in Abuja, was involved in the incident upon landing while all passengers and crew members were safely evacuated.

The incident triggered a chain of disruptions, resulting in several flight departures being delayed as authorities worked to clear the affected runway and restore normal airport operations.

A press statement signed on Wednesday by FAAN Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mrs. Obiageli Orah, confirmed the incident.

Orah stated: “At 10:05 am on December 11, 2024, an Allied Air Cargo aircraft with registration number 5N-JRT skidded off Runway 22 at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja with five souls on board with no reported injury.

“They were all safely evacuated and taken to the FAN clinic for further checks.

“The airport emergency response team is on the scene along with accident investigators. The runway is being cleared and is expected to reopen for operations as soon as possible.”

The FAAN expressed its gratitude to the aviation community and the general public for their understanding, cooperation, and patience during the incident.

Persecondnews recalls that the airport has experienced similar incidents in the past.

In January 2018, the FAAN temporarily closed the airport’s runway for 30 minutes as a precautionary safety measure, following an incident where a private jet operated by Nest Oil skidded off the runway, losing its landing gear, fortunately resulting in no loss of life.

The temporary runway closure led to the diversion of flights to alternate airports in the Abuja area, while some incoming flights were put on hold, circling the airport in a holding pattern until they received clearance to land safely.

In a similar incident, the NAIA was temporarily closed in November 2023 after an Aero Contractors Boeing 737-300 skidded off the taxiway, with its nose gear becoming stuck in the soft ground.