Scare at Port Harcourt airport as flight with 149 passengers lands in a bush.
Just days after the embarrassment of an emergency door falling off on landing in Abuja, Nigerian carrier Dana Airlines is enmeshed in another aviation mishap, this time in Port Harcourt.
The airline’s plane from Abuja, overshot the Port Harcourt runway on Tuesday night and ended up in the bush.
No injury to the 49 passengers was reported as they were evacuated from the plane.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) confirmed that all passengers were safely evacuated.
FAAN Corporate Affairs General Manager Henrietta Yakubu, said: “A Dana aircraft flight 9J0363, flying from Abuja to Port Harcourt airport, has overshot the Port Harcourt runway.
“The incident was suspected to have been caused by a heavy rain, which was accompanied by strong wind and storm in Port Harcourt.
“No casualty was recorded, as all passengers on board were safely evacuated.”
Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Public Relations General Manager Sam Adurogboye also confirmed the incident.
He said the aircraft was partially damaged.
“I learnt the runway has been closed but it will be reopened after inspection has been carried out on it.
“Forty-nine passengers were on board and safely evacuated. The aircraft came in from Abuja to Port Harcourt," he said
Since its last crash on June 3, 2012 in Ishaga, Lagos, Dana Airlines has always been under a radar of suspicion. The crash killed all the 159 passengers on board and others on the ground
The Consumer Protection Council (CPC) directed Dana Airlines to provide support to the affected Flight 9J0363 passengers.
CPC Director-General Babatunde Irukera said he had contacted the Dana air management and they agreed the airline would provide support to the affected passengers.
He said that was in compliance with minimum standards of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Rules (NCAR).