MyBy Emmanuel Obisue
A routine takeoff at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Sunday took an unexpected turn when an Air Peace aircraft struck an antelope while taxiing on the runway.
The collision, which instantly killed the animal, forced the airline to ground the plane for safety checks and disrupted several scheduled flights.
The aircraft was declared “Aircraft on Ground”, AOG, a designation used when a plane is out of service pending inspection or repairs.
Confirming the incident, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, Michael Achimugu, shared a statement via his X account:
“Monitoring reports yesterday indicated that an Air Peace aircraft ran into a large antelope, decimating the animal and leaving the aircraft AOG (aircraft on ground). As a result, flights meant to be operated by this aircraft would naturally be disrupted, even though engineers are on the ground to assess and fix the plane. Passengers waiting would naturally be infuriated.”
Achimugu emphasized that while such incidents are beyond the airline’s control, operators are still required to inform passengers, offer refunds where applicable, and provide care during delays. He also noted that failure to meet these obligations could result in penalties.
The NCAA used the opportunity to illustrate that not all flight disruptions are the fault of airlines, though it reaffirmed passengers’ rights to compensation and transparency.
