Panic as plane crash-lands at Abuja airport
It was all panic on Sunday when a Max Air aircraft crash-landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja after its tyre reportedly caught flames.
The aircraft had arrived from Yola, Adamawa State when the incident happened.
The Aerodrome Rescue and Fire-fighting Service (ARFFS) operatives at the airport, it was gathered, were swiftly mobilised to put off the fire with passengers disembarked right at the runway.
A former President of the Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, Dr. Mike Ogirima, who gave an account of the incident said the tyre burst occurred after takeoff at Yola Airport.
However, the aircraft crash-landed in Abuja with emergency officials already on ground to put out the fire before the passengers disembarked right at the runway.
He said: “We thank God. We are still on the runway and the pilot has reassured us. He has called for the stairs and we are now disembarking from the runway to be evacuated to the airport building at the arrival hall.
“We bless God because we have witnessed the pull out of the tyre right from the airport in Yola and we went into a prayer session. I never announced it as a surgeon so as not to cause any panic but we bless God.”
The passengers were safely disembarked from the runway while the runway was temporarily shut until the evacuation of the aircraft.
An official of the airline who confirmed the incident said the passengers safely disembarked.
