The pilot of the chartered flight carrying Nigeria’s Super Eagles and their delegation described the challenges he faced when the aircraft was unexpectedly diverted to a different airport.
Speaking in an interview, the pilot recounted how Libyan authorities ordered him to land at Al Abaq, a less-equipped airport, despite initial clearance to land in Benghazi.
“The flight plan was to land in Benghazi,” the pilot explained. “We got the approval from the Libyan civil aviation authority that we are approved to land in Benghazi but unfortunately, they ask us to divert to Al Abaq which is almost almost 300 kilometers far – at the east. This is not good because in aviation we have our flight plan, we calculate the fuel to our destination so we have to avoid this kind of thing because of safety and I insist to land in Benghazi according to my flight plan and according to my authorization”
Despite his insistence on sticking to the approved plan, he was told that the order came “from the highest authority,” leaving him no choice but to follow instructions.
The pilot emphasised the risks involved, highlighting that Al Abaq, the alternate airport, was not well-equipped for nighttime landings.
“It wasn’t easy to land at night with no electronic assistance, and the marginal weather. Thankfully, I had worked in the area for two years with a Tunisian company, so I knew the region well. But still, it was not an easy thing to accomplish,” he stressed.
The captain said he raised concerns multiple times with Libyan air traffic control, urging them to reconsider the sudden diversion.
“I asked them at least eight times, warning them of potential trouble, but they insisted we had to divert immediately. Everything in aviation is recorded, so nothing can be hidden. It’s all documented.”
When questioned about whether the aviation company would be able to provide evidence of these communications, the pilot affirmed that all procedures had been followed and the records were intact.
“Yes, all evidence is documented in aviation. There’s a lot of cross-checking and redundancy, so it’s impossible to hide the truth. I can even show you the approval for Benghazi. It was only at the last minute that they changed their mind and the airport.”
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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