A routine Thursday evening flight into Enugu turned tense when an aircraft arriving from Lagos suffered a nose-wheel malfunction while landing at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport but thanks to the swift intervention of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), all passengers were safely evacuated without injury.
The aircraft, with registration 5N-BZN, encountered the malfunction while touching down on Runway 08 around 7:10 pm, leaving it temporarily immobilised. Despite the unexpected event, passengers and crew were calmly evacuated and transported to the terminal using apron buses.
FAAN said its emergency response teams were activated immediately, deploying fire tenders, rescue personnel and medical units in line with international safety protocols.
The evacuation process was completed by 7:48 pm, with rescue teams maintaining full alertness throughout.
In a statement signed by Henry Agbebire, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, FAAN confirmed that the aircraft and surrounding airside have been secured. The Authority also pledged continued support to the operator.
FAAN added that it is working closely with the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) the agencies responsible for determining the technical cause of such incidents.
The Authority assured the public that it will release updates only after verified information emerges, emphasising that it will not engage in speculation regarding the nose-wheel fault.
