Max Air flight from Lagos reportedly crash-landed at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport late Tuesday night.
The incident occurred at 10:57 p.m. when the airplane reportedly lost its nose landing gear tyre during landing.
Aliyu Inuwa Mansir, a journalist with SolaceBase and one of the passengers on board, described the terrifying moment.
“Immediately after the tyre burst into flames, smoke filled the cabin, and we had to evacuate through the emergency exit,” Mansir recounted. “Firefighters arrived quickly and sprayed water to contain the flames.”
Max Air’s Station Manager, Malam Bello Ramadan, confirmed that all passengers and crew were safely evacuated, expressing gratitude that there were no casualties.
“I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and thank God for everyone’s safety. The well-being of our passengers and crew is always our top priority,” he stated.
According to Ramadan, the airline followed standard safety procedures, ensuring the swift evacuation of passengers and isolating the pilots while coordinating with aviation authorities.
He further disclosed that Max Air is cooperating with the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) and the Aircraft and Equipment Department (AED) to determine the cause of the incident.
“Preliminary findings suggest a tyre malfunction, but we will fully support the investigation to establish the exact cause and enhance safety measures,” he assured.
Ramadan also promised that affected passengers would soon recover their belongings, acknowledging the distress caused by the emergency landing.