The leadership of Enugu Air has attributed the successful evacuation of flight 4264 to the high level of professionalism displayed by its flight crew. The aircraft, which was traveling from Lagos to Benin on Thursday, experienced a runway excursion upon arrival, forcing all 68 people on board to exit via emergency slides.
Captain Tolu Ita, the airline’s Chief Executive Officer, noted that the pilots executed proper landing procedures, including the use of brakes and reverse thrust, yet the aircraft failed to decelerate sufficiently before leaving the pavement. Captain Ita suggested that the soft, rain-soaked grassy terrain surrounding the runway acted as a cushion, preventing potential fire hazards that could have been triggered by sparks.
The airline is currently collaborating with the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) to analyze data from the aircraft’s flight recorder. Despite the incident, Captain Ita defended the carrier’s safety standards, pointing to a track record of over 3,500 successful flights since the airline launched in March. She emphasized that one isolated event should not overshadow the airline’s overall commitment to safety and operational reliability.
