The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has issued a suspension on the operations of Dana Air.
This decision stems from an incident involving a Dana Air plane at Lagos airport on April 23, prompting aviation authorities to redirect flights from the local to the international airport.
The suspension was authorized by Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation.
On Tuesday, a Dana Air aircraft, carrying 83 passengers with registration number 5N BKI on a flight from Abuja to Lagos, reportedly experienced a runway excursion at Lagos Murtala Mohammed Airport.
A runway excursion happens when an aircraft veers off the designated runway during take-off or landing.
Dana Air confirmed the incident in a statement, noting that all passengers were safely disembarked without injuries. They reported the incident to the Nigerian Safety Investigation Board (NSIB) and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). The aircraft was grounded by the maintenance team pending further investigation.
The airline apologized to the affected passengers, acknowledging their patience, and thanked the airport authorities for their prompt response.
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority also confirmed the occurrence in a statement, detailing the events and safety measures taken. They assured the public of their commitment to upholding safety standards in the aviation sector.
It’s worth noting that Dana Air had previously faced suspension on July 20th, 2022, due to financial and safety concerns. Operations resumed on November 9th, 2022, after clearance from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority following a 15-week suspension period.
