According to National Mirror report, an Arik Air B737 aircraft yesterday [July 14] hit a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) C-130 aircraft at the Jos Airport while taxiing. It was learnt that when the flight landed at Jos airport and taxiing, the marshaller directed the pilot at a particular spot but the pilot was said to have disregarded the marshaller’s instruction.
It was gathered that in a bid to park the aircraft at the tarmac, it hit the NAF plane that was parked at the tarmac and the NAF plane was said to have destroyed tone of the wings of the Arik aircraft.
Vanguard reported C-130 aircraft was in Jos to airlift students of the Airforce Military School and Airforce Girls Military School both in the Plateau State capital when the accident occurred.
A source told National Mirror that immediately this happened, fuel started gushing out from the damaged area making the plane unable to embark on another journey. The source however could not ascertain where the plane was coming from or will be going from Jos airport, but there were indications that the passengers may be stranded as a result of the incident.
National Mirror could not reach spokesman of Arik Air, Mr. Ola Banji as he did not pick calls when contacted to comment on the issue.
A statement released by the Nigerian Airforce on the incident by Wing Commander A. Makun, Deputy Director, Directorate of Airforce information said:
“An Arik Airline Boeing 737-700 with registration No 5NMJI on a routine flight to Lagos brushed the wing of a parked Nigerian Air Force C-130 (NAF 917) at the Yakubu Gowon Airport, Heipang Jos”.
“The incident happened at about 1345hrs today when the Arik aircraft was taxiing at the airport tarmac in preparation for take-off. The tank 1 wing tip of the NAF C-130 was damaged while the wing of the Arik aircraft was dismembered and hung on the NAF aircraft”.
“There was no casualty recorded during the incident, however, the 2 aircraft had to abort their missions. The NAF C-130 was in Jos to airlift students of the Air Force Military School and Air Force Girls Military School. Meanwhile, a joint investigation by the Nigerian Air Force and Arik Airline management has commenced”.
Meanwhile, Arik Air was reported to have had another incident in its flight from Enugu Airport to Abuja said to have taken off under bad weather condition contrary to the authority’s earlier warning.
The incident was confirmed by the Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr Harold Demuren.
It was gathered that the aircraft, a Boeing 737-700 from Enugu to Abuja scheduled to depart Enugu at about 10:00 a.m. was delayed until 11:40 a.m. owing to report of approaching bad weather in Abuja.
The pilot in a bid to get to Abuja before the start of rain allegedly ignored all warnings and “took the aircraft and passengers through an extremely turbulent flight”.
On landing at Abuja the plane almost skidded off the runway and passengers had to remain on the aircraft for about 30 minutes before disembarking owing to heavy rain in Abuja.
The NCAA had last week issued a statement where its Director-General, Dr Demuren, advised pilots and airlines that there was the need for pilots to exercise restraint in adverse weather and always respect weather forecast.
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