Air Peace has confirmed that one of its Airbus A320 aircraft was damaged on the ground at Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 1 (MMA1), Lagos.
The airline said the incident occurred after a baggage conveyor belt vehicle operated by the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) collided with one of the aircraft’s engines.
This was contained in a statement signed by the airline’s management on Wednesday in Lagos.
Air Peace said the incident happened on Tuesday shortly after Flight P47427 from Kano had landed safely and passengers had disembarked.
The impact caused significant damage to the engine, rendering the aircraft unserviceable and disrupting its scheduled operations.
The affected aircraft had been assigned to operate several flights across the airline’s domestic network in the coming days.
As a result, some flights will experience delays while others may be cancelled as the airline rearranges its fleet to minimise the operational impact.
Air Peace apologised to affected passengers and assured them that its operations and customer service teams are working to provide alternative travel arrangements and necessary assistance.
The airline reiterated that the safety of its passengers, crew, and equipment remains its top priority.
It added that it is collaborating with NAHCO and relevant aviation authorities to investigate the cause of the incident and prevent a recurrence.
The airline thanked passengers for their patience and understanding as it works to restore normal flight operations.
It was gathered that the NAHCO staff who operated the equipment slumped while driving the vehicle that rammed into the aircraft.
The ground handling staff is yet to be identified as of the time of this report and is currently receiving medical treatment.
