Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Chief Executive Officer of Enugu Air, Captain Tolu Ita, has moved to clarify the circumstances surrounding the airline's runway excursion at the Benin Airport on Thursday, July 23, 2026, insisting that the aircraft landed normally before it overran the runway and that the incident was neither a crash nor an emergency landing. Speaking in a video message shared on the airline's official social media page on Friday, July 24, and in subsequent interviews, Ita provided a detailed account of the events that led to the Embraer E170 aircraft, operating as Flight 4264 from Lagos to Benin, overrunning the end of Runway 05 at approximately 3:10 p.m. local time.
Ita explained that the aircraft, which was carrying 63 passengers and five crew members, experienced a normal landing profile before the incident occurred. "From my perspective, from our internal investigation, what happened is, it was a normal flight that landed on the runway and deployed brakes, but the plane didn't stop," she said during an interview on TVC News' News at 10 on Saturday, July 25. The aircraft subsequently "ended up exiting the whole runway and ended up in the bush". The CEO attributed the runway excursion to hydroplaning, a condition where a layer of water builds up between the aircraft's tyres and the runway surface, reducing traction and affecting braking effectiveness. "Following a scheduled flight from Lagos to Benin, the aircraft landed and, due to hydroplaning on the runway, experienced a runway excursion during the landing roll," she stated.
While acknowledging the seriousness of the occurrence, Ita stressed that the incident should not be mistaken for a crash. "This was not a crash nor was it an emergency landing, but it was a serious incident," she said. She expressed profound gratitude that all passengers and crew members were safely evacuated without injuries. "We are deeply grateful that all passengers and crew members are safe. Most importantly, there were no injuries and no casualties," she said.
In reflecting on what prevented a more devastating outcome, Ita pointed to several factors, including what she described as divine intervention and the grassy area where the aircraft eventually came to a stop. "First, I would like to recognise the hand of God in that because a lot, a lot of things could have happened," she said. She noted that the situation could have been far worse given the position of the aircraft after it left the runway and the fact that parts of the aircraft, including the wings, carried fuel. "Imagine the wings. Based on reports, the two mainland collapsed and one of them even actually collapsed into the wing carrying fuel," Ita said. The airline chief executive also noted that the aircraft's final position on the grass played a role in preventing a more devastating outcome.
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau has since opened a formal investigation into the runway excursion. The bureau confirmed that all passengers and crew were safely accounted for, with no injuries recorded, and added that a preliminary report would be released within 30 days in line with aviation regulations. Enugu Air has pledged full cooperation with the investigation. "As is standard practice across the global aviation industry, a full investigation is being conducted in close collaboration with the relevant aviation agencies to establish the complete facts surrounding this occurrence. We are committed to full cooperation with these agencies and will share verified updates as they become available," Ita said.
The incident temporarily disrupted flight operations at the Benin Airport, leading to the suspension of flights by Air Peace. Despite the incident, Ita expressed appreciation to Nigerians and the travelling public for their continued confidence in the airline. "I must say before I continue and finish that story, I just want to appreciate Nigerians. They have been phenomenal because surprisingly our load factor is even increasing, which means Nigerians and the travelling public are supporting us," she said. Reaffirming the airline's commitment to safety, Ita said passenger welfare remained its highest priority. "Nothing matters to us more than safety and the well-being of those who choose to fly with us. Safety is, and will always remain, the foundation of who we are as an airline," she said.
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