89 Escape Death as IRS Plane Crashes in Kaduna

Another tragedy was averted on Sunday morning in Kaduna, after an IRS Fokker 100 aircraft with 89 passengers lost two tyres while landing.

This is coming  two weeks after a plane crashed in Lagos, killing 16 people.

But the technical crew of IRS Airlines saved the day, as it confronted the emergency and taxied to a halt.

The flight which originated from the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos en-route Kaduna crash- landed when it suddenly developed a hydraulic fault which forced the pilot to activate an emergency landing.

Some of the passengers who spoke to journalists said they were alarmed at the sudden drop in altitude as the plane started preparing to land in Kaduna.

An airport source who pleaded anonymity said all the crew and passengers were safely evacuated, adding, however, that it was a terrible situation.

Consequently, security was beefed up at the airport and journalists were barred from entering.

Confirming the incident,  Yemi Dada, managing director of IRS Airlines said: “On final approach to Kaduna today (Sunday), on our aircraft Flight 3390 with 89 passengers, our cockpit crew got a low hydraulic in system one warning and decided to take precautionary measures to ask for ground confirmation that all gears were down and locked and the aircraft landed normally after the control tower had confirmed that the gears were all down normally.

“The crew proceeded to land but followed procedure to disembark on the runway and not taxi in accordance with the procedure. All passengers disembarked normally and the aircraft was towed to the ramp.

“The maintenance crew are inspecting to confirm the issue that caused the warning to the crew. Updates will follow shortly.”

Also, Captain Fola Akinkuotu, director general of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA),, confirmed the incident, saying that the aircraft with registration No 5N-HIR landed safely, following a hydraulic leakage on the runway of Kaduna airport.

According to Akinkuotu, “NCAA directed the airline to tow the aircraft to the apron and Accident Investigation Bureau (AIPB) has commenced investigation into the incident. The NCAA wishes to assure all air travellers of their safety and caution against magnifying a manageable incident out of proportion.”

 Joe Obi, special assistant (Media) to the Aviation minister, said that “the aircraft did not crash-land. It landed safely, in spite of having a slight problem with hydraulic.”

An Associated Airlines Embraer 120 plane had crashed on October 3 near a fuel depot two minutes after take-off at the Lagos Airport.

The charter plane was conveying the remains of a former Governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Agagu, to Akure for interment.

It also had on board 20 people, including officials of the Ondo State government, family members and friends of Agagu.