By Solomon Asowata
Lagos – Air Peace on Monday clarified that one of its
aircraft had a deflated and not a burst tyre, on take-off at the Murtala
Muhammed Airport, Lagos.
The airline made the clarification in a statement signed by its Communications
Manager, Mr Chris Iwarah and obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
NAN reports that the flight, which was carrying 105 passengers from Lagos to Abuja,
was aborted by the pilot due to the incident.
Iwarah said :”At about 11am today, our Lagos-Abuja flight aborted take-off at the
Murtala Muhammed Airport when the pilot-in-command suspected that there was an
issue with one of the tyres of the aircraft.
“Passengers on board were transferred to another aircraft to ensure they did not
miss their appointments.
“The passengers were all calm, as it was not a life-threatening incident. There
was no question of air return as our very experienced flight crew noticed the
development much before take-off.
“Because of the premium we place on safety, our pilots are under a duty to call
for checks when they suspect any fault, however basic it may be. That was what
happened in this case.
“Although it was initially suspected to be a case of burst tyre, our engineering
department later inspected the aircraft and confirmed that one of the tyres got
deflated. The issue has since been addressed.”
He assured Air Peace passengers and members of the public that the
airline would continue to give top priority to their safety and comfort.