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Chinelo Obogo
One of the airlines designated for this year’s Hajj, Max Air, suffered a serious incident on runway 23 of the Minna International Airport, Niger State, the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) saying that it will investigate the matter.
The Boeing B747-400 aircraft with 560 pilgrims flying in from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, had the incident during the final approach on the runway shortly after landing.
Related: Emergency landing at Minna airport as 560 returning pilgrims escape death
Max Air Director of Flight Operations, Capt Ibrahim Dili, confirmed that the incident happened in the early hours of September 7, saying that at the time of arrival, there was heavy rain with unstable winds and the instrument landing system at the airport was faulty with unreliable signals. He, however, said that all passengers were taxied to safety and disembarked without problems.
AIB in a statement by his spokesman, Mr Tunji Oketunbi, said the Accident Investigation Board was notified of the incident by MAX Air.
Oketunbi further stated that, from information provided, the aircraft on landing “scraped the runway while the number one engine of the four engine airplane brushed the runway surface and no injury reported.”
He disclosed that AIB’s team of safety investigators had commenced work.
“We want the public to know that we would be amenable to receiving any video clip, relevant evidence or information any members of the public may have of the serious incident that can assist us with this investigation,” he added.
