About 31
passengers, including the son of late strongman of Ibadan politics, Alhaji
Lamidi Adedibu, Senator Kamoru Adedibu, were hurriedly evacuated from an
aircraft at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Friday, after
the plane caught fire shortly before take-off.
The plane,
an Overland Airlines aircraft, scheduled for Ibadan from Abuja at 4:52p.m. was
about to take off when it started emitting smoke from one of its engines.
One of the
passengers who spoke on the incident, Olufunmilayo Rotiba, Chief
Executive Officer, Special Travels and Tours, said the about 31 passengers of
the plane were already seated before the incident.
“We first
observed that engineers were frantically fiddling with the plane’s engine. Then
we suddenly saw smoke. It is not funny at all. All of us, including a
senator, rushed out of the plane.
“We were
subsequently evacuated by airport officials. As I am speaking with you now
(8:30p.m.), we are waiting for another plane from Ilorin, which we have been
promised will take us to Ibadan. We thank God,” she said.
Senator
Adedibu described the incident as a horrible experience but thanked God that it
did not happen mid-air.
He
commended the pilot, the crew and airport officials for being observant and for
the prompt rescue operation.
He also confirmed that all the passengers were still at the Abuja
airport at 8:45pm
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