A plane conveying about 600 pilgrims returning from the 2019 annual pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia crash landed at the Minna International Airport.
The incident occurred around 5am on Saturday according to a source at the airport.
The aircraft, a Boeing 744 with registration number 5N/ DBK was said to have developed technical fault in one of the plane’s four engines when it approached the Minna airport.
A source at the airport who confirmed the incident to newsmen said that no one was injured or died in the incident but the passengers were visibly shaken over the incident.
Evidence of the crash landing of the plane could be seen as part of the tarmac and some materials were damaged when the aircraft skidded off the runway.
The Public Relations Officer of the Niger state Pilgrims Welfare Board, Hajia Hassana Isah when contacted also confirmed the incident but did not give further details.
It was gathered that five officials of the Accident Bureau of Investigation from Lagos had arrived the airport some hours after the incident and had inspected the partly damaged aircraft after which they went into a closed door meeting with the management of the airport.
On the part of the passengers, it was thanksgiving galore as most of them after rushing out of the plane after the incident gushed their thanks to God for saving them from death.
Eyewitnesses said that the Minna International Airport was saved from a big disaster as they said the fire from the aircraft, if the plane had crashed would have burnt down the airport as there are no fire fighting vehicles in the airport.
“The fire that would have followed would have spread to all parts of the airport because we don’t have fire fighting vehicles in this airport”, a senior Official of the airport said.
