Benin residents, passengers panic, as plane fails to land

Posted by admin Edo, Headlines, State News Saturday, August 18th, 2012

Residents of Benin City, the Edo State capital, were panic-stricken on Saturday when an Arik Airline aircraft carrying over 50 passengers and which hovered for about 15 minutes in the airspace failed to land at its Benin Airport destination.

The incident, which occurred at about 7.30 a.m., sent shivers down the spines of residents as some people living around the airport hurriedly left their homes for fear that the aircraft might crashland.

The aircraft, however, flew back to Lagos after it failed to land in Benin.

A passengers aboard the aircraft who pleaded anonymity said some “passengers fainted due to fear. We thought it was going to be another serious crash. We were hovering round Benin, but we could not land. People were shouting the name of Jesus until we were taken back to Lagos.”

A source at the airport said there was a possibility that the pilot failed to get landing clearance from the Control Tower.

The Airport Manager. Mr. Segun Ayodele, told journalists that he was not aware of the incident.

via Tribunewp_posts