In what could have been a major aviation disaster, an Air Peace commercial flight overran the runway at the Port Harcourt International Airport on Sunday night, sparking panic among passengers and prompting an emergency response from aviation and rescue authorities. Miraculously, no fatalities or serious injuries were reported.
The incident occurred at approximately 9:38 PM when the Boeing 737 aircraft, with over 100 passengers on board, overshot the runway during landing under heavy rainfall and poor visibility conditions. The flight, which originated from Lagos, reportedly experienced turbulence en route but was cleared for landing by air traffic control despite the prevailing weather.
Survivors of the ordeal described scenes of chaos and fear as the aircraft skidded off the wet tarmac and came to a halt in the grass verge beyond the runway.
“The moment the plane touched down, it felt rough, like the wheels weren’t gripping the surface,” said Chinaza Okezie, a Port Harcourt-based civil engineer who was returning from a business trip. “Then the cabin tilted slightly and people began screaming. We thought it was the end.”
Another passenger, a nursing mother, said she instinctively shielded her baby as the cabin lights flickered and oxygen masks deployed.
“I thought of my children at home,” she said, holding back tears. “But the pilots handled it. They were calm. We just thank God.”
Eyewitnesses at the airport terminal observed emergency responders rushing toward the runway minutes after the control tower lost visual contact with the aircraft.
In a statement released early Monday morning, Air Peace confirmed the runway excursion, attributing it to “adverse weather conditions and aquaplaning during landing.” The airline assured the public that all passengers and crew were safely evacuated and accounted for.
“Our pilots followed all standard procedures and handled the situation with professionalism and courage,” the statement read. “We are cooperating fully with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and other regulatory bodies currently investigating the incident.”
The NCAA also issued a bulletin, confirming that a full-scale investigation has commenced, including black box retrieval, crew interviews, and assessment of runway friction levels.
“This is a serious safety concern. While we commend the flight crew for avoiding casualties, we must examine what went wrong, including weather monitoring, runway condition, and pilot decisions,” said Captain Musa Nuhu, Director-General of NCAA.
As of press time, all incoming and outgoing flights at the Port Harcourt International Airport have been temporarily suspended pending the clearance of the aircraft and a safety audit of the affected runway. Airlines have been advised to divert to nearby airports, including Owerri and Uyo.
Passengers have expressed frustration at the lack of immediate communication from airport authorities, citing confusion and long waiting hours at the terminal.
“We didn’t know if it was a crash or a hijack. The silence was deafening,” said Ikenna Eze, whose flight to Abuja was cancelled after the incident.
This incident adds to a string of close calls in Nigeria’s aviation sector, raising renewed questions about infrastructure readiness, pilot training, and weather forecasting capacity.
Aviation analyst Temitope Anibaba told Fresh Facts Magazine that while runway overruns are not uncommon globally, they often point to gaps in layered safety systems.
“This is a wake-up call. Nigeria must invest in better runway lighting, real-time weather systems, and emergency readiness. We got lucky this time.”
As the aviation community breathes a sigh of relief, survivors of the Port Harcourt scare are counting their blessings — and calling for greater accountability.
“It’s not enough to say ‘thank God.’ We need answers,” said Chinaza Okezie. “Lives were at risk.”
Fresh Facts Magazine will continue to monitor developments and provide updates as investigations progress.
