The Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, has directed the suspension of Dana Air and has ordered a comprehensive audit after the airline’s plane skidded off the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, runway on Tuesday.
In a statement by Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA Director-General, the minister said the move was necessary to ensure safety and regulatory compliance.
“As the supervisor overseeing our nation’s aviation safety and regulatory compliance, it has come to the Honourable Minister’s attention that recent incidents involving Dana Airline have raised serious concerns regarding both the safety and financial viability of their operations,”
“In light of these incidents, with the paramount priority being the safety and well-being of our citizens and travellers, the Honourable Minister has directed that you immediately initiate the suspension of Dana Airline’s fleet until a comprehensive audit can be conducted.
“This audit should encompass all aspects of safety protocols, maintenance procedures, and financial health to ensure full compliance with our aviation regulations.”
The incident on Tuesday, had led the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), to temporarily shut down runway 18L/36R at the Murtala Mohammed Airport in Lagos for flight operations.
The runway was reopened on Wednesday morning after FAAN’s emergency response team evacuated, and recovered the aircraft from the site.
FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Obiageli Orah, in a statement that said comprehensive clearing operations were conducted to ensure the runway was free of any Foreign Object Debris (FOD) that could impede flight safety.
She added that the FAAN Operations Division and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) had jointly conducted a thorough inspection of the runway surface and deemed it safe for the resumption of operations.
She also said an appropriate Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) had been issued in this regard
“A concerted effort was made for the thorough and efficient cleaning of the area to facilitate the swift resumption of operations on Runway 18L/36R”
The Dana Air aircraft, with 83 passengers and registration number 5N BKI flying from Abuja to Lagos, suffered a runway excursion at the Lagos Murtala Mohammed airport on Tuesday.
