SURVIVOR RECOUNTS HARROWING ESCAPE FROM ENUGU AIRPLANE INCIDENT
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By:Tajudeen Aminat
Rapper and content creator Chinedu, popularly known as Triple Pin, has recounted his terrifying experience after surviving the Enugu Air aircraft that veered off the runway while landing at Benin Airport, saying the incident gave him a new appreciation for life.
In a video posted on his Instagram page on Thursday, Triple Pin said he had only watched plane crashes in movies and on social media before experiencing one himself.
“This is how these big dreams would have gone. Our plane crashed today. I used to see things like this in movies and on social media. I thought it was limited to that,” he said.
Describing the moments leading up to the incident, the content creator said heavy rainfall had significantly reduced visibility throughout the flight, leaving him wondering how the pilot was navigating the weather conditions.
“The whole window was blurry because rain was falling. I was wondering how the pilot was able to continue despite the weather,” he said.
According to him, the aircraft circled repeatedly while attempting to land before veering off the runway.
“When we got to our destination, and it was time to land, the pilot was rotating in the air, looking for where to land. He kept rotating, and that was how he lost control and moved towards the bush. All of a sudden, all I heard was noise. Everybody was in panic,” he recalled.
Triple Pin expressed gratitude that the aircraft did not catch fire after leaving the runway, describing his survival as nothing short of a miracle.
“The reason our plane didn’t catch fire was because rain was falling. That is how I would have died. That is how these big dreams would have been unfulfilled. I came out with no injury,” he said.
His account comes after the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) announced the commencement of an investigation into the runway excursion involving an Enugu Air Embraer E170 aircraft at Benin Airport in Edo State.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the NSIB said the aircraft, operating as Flight 4264 with registration 5N-ENR from Lagos to Benin, overran the end of Runway 05 during landing at about 3:10 p.m. local time.
The bureau disclosed that there were 63 passengers and five crew members on board, adding that everyone was safely evacuated and no injuries were recorded.
According to the NSIB, its Go Team arrived at the scene shortly after the incident to gather evidence, interview the flight crew, inspect the aircraft and assess runway conditions as part of the investigation.
Commenting on the incident, the Director-General of the NSIB, Capt. Alex Badeh Jr., said the safe evacuation of everyone on board was reassuring but stressed that every runway excursion must be thoroughly investigated.
“We are relieved that all passengers and crew members are safe and that no injuries were reported. While this is reassuring, every runway excursion is a serious occurrence that deserves a thorough and independent investigation,” he said.
Enugu Air also confirmed the incident, describing it as a runway excursion involving one of its Embraer regional jets.
The airline said all passengers and crew members were safely evacuated without injuries, noting that some flight schedules could experience temporary adjustments while investigations continue.
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