ValueJet Aircraft Slips Off Runway At Port Harcourt Airport ‘Due To Algae’

An aircraft operated by ValueJet airline on Tuesday slipped off the runway after landing at the Port Harcourt Airport.

The incident happened at about 3.38 local time.

According to a statement released by the airline, the aircraft “encountered a slip due to algae on the taxi-way which made it unable to maintain the centre line.”

It said: “The CRJ 900 Bombardier aircraft with registration 5N-BXR landed safely with passengers wondering what could have happened because the airplane landed safely without difficulty.

“Captain Stanley Balami reported that the aircraft encountered a slip due to algae on the taxi-way which made it unable to maintain the centre line.

“ValueJet remains a safe airline and all the airline’s operations are normal without any glitch,” the statement read.

Tuesday’s occurrence is the latest in a series of recent incidents in Nigerian aviation the past few weeks.

On Sunday, an incident involving a Boeing 737 Jet with registration number 5N-BYQ owned by Aero Contractors Airlines got stuck taking a turn, after landing at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

Another incident occurred last week when a private aircraft operated by Flint Aero with Power Minister Adebayo Adelabu in board, narrowly avoided tragedy as it crash-landed on the runway in Ibadan.

However, no fatalities were recorded in any of the incidents above.

Chioma Kalu