Collision with Wildlife Grounds Air Peace Aircraft at Asaba International Airport.
From Our Correspondent.
An Air Peace aircraft was rendered inoperable at Asaba International Airport in Delta State following a collision with a large antelope during taxiing.
The impact resulted in the animal’s immediate fatality and left the aircraft on the ground, leading to notable flight disruptions for passengers.
Michael Achimugu, the Director of Public Affairs & Consumer Protection at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, confirmed the occurrence via his official X account.
He stated, “Monitoring reports indicated that an Air Peace aircraft collided with a large antelope, decimating the animal and leaving the aircraft AOG (aircraft on ground).”
Due to this incident, all flights scheduled to be serviced by the involved aircraft faced unavoidable delays, despite engineers being on-site to assess and make necessary repairs. This situation understandably frustrated waiting passengers.
Achimugu took the opportunity to explain that such incidents illustrate disruptions that are beyond the airlines’ control.
However, he emphasized that airlines still bear responsibility to their passengers. “While events like this are outside the airline’s influence, it does not alleviate their duty to provide adequate care and communication to passengers,” he noted.
He further affirmed that the airline is still obligated to ensure that passengers receive timely information, refunds, and other necessary care, and may face sanctions if these responsibilities are not met.
The agency has also indicated that efforts are being made to repair the aircraft and restore normal operations promptly.
