Safety bureau launches probe into United Nigeria Airlines incident

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has commenced investigations into the serious incident involving an Embraer ERJ145 with Nationality and Registration Marks 5N-BWY belonging to United Nigeria Airlines, which occurred around 06:33 pm (Local Time) on 8th September 2023.

According to a statement by the Bureau signed by Tunji Oketunbi, its spokesperson, the aircraft, with 51 passengers and four crew members on board, was en route to Lagos from Owerri.

On landing on Runway 18R of Murtala Muhammed International Airport, (MMIA) Ikeja, Lagos, the aircraft skidded off the runway.

Oketunbi disclosed that there was no injury or fatality.

“The NSIB, hereby, solicits information from the general public in the form of pictures, video or recording evidence to assist in conducting a comprehensive investigation.

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“The NSIB will appreciate that the general public and press respect the people’s privacy and not assume the cause of the severe incident until the formal report is released.

“The NSIB is a multimodal investigation agency charged with the mandate to investigate transportation accidents and serious incidents in Nigeria to identify the probable causes and proffer safety recommendations that can prevent reoccurrence,” he added.

United Nigeria Airlines, which also confirmed the incident in a statement, said flight U5 0513, operated by its aircraft with registration 5N-BWY upon landing at Lagos airport, aquaplaned due to a downpour.

Achilleus-Chud Uchegbu, head of Corporate Communications United Nigeria Airlines, stated that the aircraft was coming from the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport Owerri but skidded off the runway upon landing.

According to Uchegbu, no passenger was hurt in the incident, and all passengers were safely evacuated alongside their luggage.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.