An Air Peace aircraft was temporarily grounded after colliding with an antelope on the runway at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, leading to delays in flight schedules.
The incident occurred while the aircraft was taxiing and resulted in the death of the animal. The plane was subsequently declared Aircraft on Ground (AOG), rendering it temporarily unfit for service and affecting scheduled operations.
Confirming the development, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) said on X (formerly Twitter) that while such occurrences are uncommon, they can disrupt operations.
Michael Achimugu, NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs & Consumer Protection, explained:
“Monitoring reports indicated that an Air Peace aircraft ran into a large antelope, decimating the animal and leaving the aircraft grounded. Naturally, this has led to delays for passengers awaiting the affected flights. Engineers are on site assessing the aircraft.”
Achimugu emphasized that while the situation was beyond the airline’s control, Air Peace is still responsible for informing passengers, offering refunds where applicable, and providing necessary care. He added that the NCAA would take action if the airline failed to meet these obligations.
A source close to Air Peace clarified that the collision occurred during landing, and all aviation procedures were followed.
“It happened upon landing. The aircraft has already been inspected and repaired. It wasn’t a serious issue,” the source noted.
The NCAA has reassured passengers of their safety and said an investigation is underway to determine how the animal accessed the runway, with the goal of preventing future incidents
