Air Peace aircraft hits Antelope on Abuja Runway

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has confirmed that an Air Peace aircraft collided with a large antelope while taxiing on the runway at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

In a statement released on Sunday, NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, stated that the incident occurred on Saturday and resulted in the aircraft being grounded, while the antelope was killed on impact.

According to Achimugu, the collision led to disruptions in scheduled flights, with the affected aircraft declared “Aircraft on Ground” (AOG) as engineers began assessments and repairs.

He emphasized that while the situation was beyond the airline’s control, Air Peace is still obligated to communicate clearly with affected passengers, issue refunds, and provide adequate care as required by aviation regulations.

“Monitoring reports yesterday indicated that an Air Peace aircraft ran into a large antelope, decimating the animal and leaving the aircraft grounded,” Achimugu stated via 𝕏 (formerly Twitter). “As a result, flights meant to be operated by this aircraft would naturally be disrupted. Passengers waiting would naturally be infuriated.”

He further warned that the NCAA would not hesitate to take disciplinary action against the airline if it failed to meet its responsibilities to passengers.