The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has announced the reopening of Runway 18L/36R at Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos. This decision comes after the runway underwent a temporary closure due to a Dana Air plane skidding off it on Tuesday. FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Obiageli Orah, signed the press release announcing the disclosure on Wednesday.
The statement highlighted the reopening of Runway 18L/36R for flight operations at 19:58 hours, following its earlier closure due to an incident where a Dana Air aircraft, with registration number 5N-BKI, overshot the runway during its landing sequence. FAAN’s emergency response team took immediate actions to evacuate and recover the aircraft. Subsequently, they conducted comprehensive clearing operations to ensure the runway was free of any Foreign Object Debris (FOD) that could compromise flight safety, as mentioned by Orah.
FAAN’s Operations Division and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency conducted a joint inspection of the runway surface and deemed it safe for the resumption of operations. Observers noted that the area affected by the overshoot was considerably muddy, necessitating extensive cleaning efforts to restore safety.
Efforts were concerted for the thorough and efficient cleaning of the area to facilitate the swift resumption of operations on Runway 18L/36R. Orah extended apologies for any inconvenience caused, emphasizing that ensuring the safety and security of passengers, staff, and airport operations remains FAAN’s top priority.
FAAN reiterated its commitment to providing a safe, secure, and efficient air transport environment for all airport users. Expressing gratitude to the traveling public, airline partners, and stakeholders for their patience, understanding, and cooperation during the temporary closure, FAAN sincerely apologized for any inconvenience the incident may have caused.
