There was a tense atmosphere at the Port Harcourt International Airport in Omagwa, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, on Tuesday, November 14, 2023, as a Value Jet aircraft skidded off the runway, causing concern among passengers.
Fortunately, there were no reported damages to the aircraft, and no casualties were recorded.
There was a tense atmosphere at the Port Harcourt International Airport in Omagwa, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, on Tuesday, November 14, 2023, as a Value Jet aircraft skidded off the runway, causing concern among passengers.
According to a reliable source at the airport, the incident occurred after the plane landed, slipping off the runway due to the wet surface. The aircraft effectively blocked a significant portion of the runway, leading to the disruption of scheduled flights.
“The plane skidded off the runway due to the wet surface after landing and blocked the runway,” the source revealed.
Fortunately, there were no reported damages to the aircraft, and no casualties were recorded. The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, assured the public that the situation was under control, emphasizing that it was a common occurrence.
“It happens, but it is nothing to worry about,” the source affirmed. Efforts were swiftly initiated to remove the aircraft from the runway, allowing normal airport operations to resume.
Passengers at the airport experienced delays in scheduled flights, and some inbound flights were reportedly canceled. A traveler who had departed from Yenagoa in Bayelsa State shared the impact of the incident on their journey.
“We had already boarded around 3.45 pm and were preparing to take off when the Value Jet incident happened,” the traveler stated. “Our plane got to Abuja around 7.30 pm after airport officials worked diligently to clear the runway.”
An eyewitness, speaking on a popular radio station in Port Harcourt (Nigeria Info), provided further details about the incident. According to the witness, the aircraft skidded off the runway around 3:38 pm due to the wet surface, necessitating the temporary closure of the airspace.
“It happens, but presently the airspace has been on shutdown. Not that they are not working again, but they need to get the aircraft off the runway first before you can have other people fly or land,” the eyewitness explained to Punch.
