Enugu Air Benin incident was not a crash, CEO clarifies

The Chief Executive Officer and Accountable Manager of Enugu Air, Captain Tolu Ita, has clarified that the airline’s recent runway excursion at Benin Airport was not a crash or an emergency landing, and confirmed that all passengers and crew members on board were safe.

In a video shared on the airline’s official page on Friday, Ita said the aircraft experienced a runway excursion after hydroplaning during landing, stressing that no injuries or fatalities were recorded.

“We are deeply grateful that all passengers and crew members are safe. Most importantly, there were no injuries and no casualties,” she said.

Explaining the incident, she said the aircraft, which was operating a scheduled flight from Lagos to Benin, experienced a runway excursion after hydroplaning during landing.

“Following a scheduled flight from Lagos to Benin, the aircraft landed and, due to hydroplaning on the runway, experienced a runway excursion during the landing roll,” she said.

Ita stressed that “this was not a crash nor was it an emergency landing, but it was a serious incident.”

She said a full investigation was underway in collaboration with the relevant aviation authorities, adding that Enugu Air would cooperate fully and provide verified updates as they become available.

“As is standard practice across the global aviation industry, a full investigation is being conducted in close collaboration with the relevant aviation agencies to establish the complete facts surrounding this occurrence. We are committed to full cooperation with these agencies and will share verified updates as they become available,” she said.

Reaffirming the airline’s commitment to safety, Ita said passenger welfare remained its top priority.