Delta Airline has apologised to the Accident Investigation Bureau over the airline’s failure to notify the agency on emergency landing of its Airbus 330-200 aircraft on Tuesday night.
The Atlanta bound Delta Flight 55, which departed Lagos Tuesday night returned few minutes later to Murtala Muhammed International Airport when one of the engines caught fire.
219 passengers on board exited through the emergency slides with five of them injured in the process. However, the airline has at the time of filing this report had made arrangement to airlift its passengers by bringing in another aircraft.
A statement issued by Mr. Tunji Oketunbi, General Manager, Public Affairs, AIB, in Lagos on Thursday, said the apology letter was signed by Miss Shannon Masters, Delta Airline Manager, Air Safety Investigation.
Masters, led a team of the airline officials, including the technical crew of the flight, and the airlines Lagos Airport Station Manager to the AIB, expressed the airline’s regret for the oversight, adding that it was not intentional.
“We sincerely apologise for the error and we promise to cooperate with AIB in the investigation of this occurrence.”
Mr. Akin Olateru, Commissioner AIB, , while accepting Delta’s apology, said AIB had already commenced investigation into the serious incident and welcomed the airline’s cooperation.
“We look forward to receiving cooperation from Delta Airline as we work to determine the cause of this serious incident in the interest of safety.’’
AIB had frowned at the American carrier’s failure to notify it of the incident involving its aircraft in line with Nigerian air safety regulations and international practice.
The airline was believed to have notified the United States National Transportation Safety Board of the occurrence immediately, in line with the U.S. laws.
Nigeria, as the state of occurrence under the International Civil Aviation Organisation, Annex 13, is responsible for investigating any aircraft occurrences within her airspace.
The State of registry of the aircraft and the airline may serve as observers.