By Our Correspondent
A private aircraft made an emergency landing on a concrete road under construction in the Ogwashi-Uku area of Delta State on Thursday after reportedly failing to land at the Asaba International Airport.
The incident, which occurred at about 7:43 a.m., caused concern among residents and aviation authorities. However, all four crew members aboard the aircraft escaped unhurt and were safely evacuated from the scene.
Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, confirmed the development, stating that the aircraft had carried out a missed approach at the airport before ending up on the road near the Delta State capital.
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According to the minister, eyewitnesses reported that the occupants safely exited the aircraft and were transported by road to Asaba shortly after the incident.
Keyamo disclosed that the aircraft later departed the location and flew back to Lagos at about 11:02 GMT without obtaining the necessary regulatory clearance.
He described the action as a serious violation of aviation regulations and security protocols, noting that Air Traffic Control authorities were only informed after the aircraft had already taken off.
In response, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) immediately grounded the aircraft upon its arrival in Lagos pending the outcome of investigations.
The aviation regulator has also placed the flight under regulatory review and commenced further inquiries into the circumstances surrounding both the emergency landing and the aircraft’s subsequent unauthorized departure.
According to the NCAA, investigations are being conducted in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, including the aircraft operator and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, to establish the full details of the incident.
As part of enforcement measures, the NCAA has suspended the operator’s Permit for Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF) and announced plans to review the aircraft’s operational, airworthiness, maintenance, and flight records.
Security agencies have also taken custody of the crew members and are assisting investigators.
The incident has raised fresh concerns about aviation safety compliance and operational procedures, particularly regarding the unauthorized movement of aircraft following an emergency occurrence. Authorities say further updates will be provided as investigations progress.
