Cracked Windshield Causes Panic Among Air Peace Passengers in Abuja
Passengers experienced a tense moment on Monday when the windshield of an Embraer ERJ 145 aircraft, operated by Air Peace, cracked as it landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. The incident caused concern among both passengers and aviation workers at the scene.
Among the passengers on board was human rights advocate Omoyele Sowore, who was traveling to Abuja. One passenger, Funmi, who witnessed the event, described the experience as terrifying and expressed dissatisfaction with the airline’s lack of immediate communication about what caused the windshield to crack.
Efforts to contact officials from the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) for comment were unsuccessful, as the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Abdullahi Musa, did not respond to inquiries. Similarly, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) spokesperson, Bimbo Olajide, redirected questions to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), stating that the NSIB typically investigates accidents or serious incidents, and the cracked windshield was categorized as a minor incident, falling under NCAA’s jurisdiction.
The NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs, Michael Achimugu, promised to follow up with his staff but had not provided an update by press time.
Air Peace’s Chief Operating Officer, Oluwatoyin Olajide, dismissed claims that passenger safety had been compromised, insisting the incident was a minor technical issue. Olajide criticized what she perceived as biased reporting, comparing the situation to an unreported British Airways engine issue in Lagos. She clarified, “The windshield was not shattered, and all necessary safety measures were taken.”
An insider at Air Peace, speaking anonymously, confirmed that while the windshield had indeed cracked, it was not a full shattering, and the aircraft was taken out of service temporarily as a precautionary measure.
