An Air Peace passenger flight was disrupted and grounded on Friday at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, after ground handling equipment collided with the aircraft’s engine cover, forcing passengers to disembark and causing widespread delays. The incident was confirmed by both the airline and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), highlighting the operational impact of the mishap.
According to reports, the newly acquired Air Peace Embraer 195-E2 aircraft (registration 5N-BYH) which was scheduled to operate Flight P47750 from Lagos to Accra suffered damage after a conveyor belt vehicle operated by the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) Plc struck the aircraft’s thrust reverser cowling, a critical component of the engine cover.
The collision occurred after passengers had already boarded, prompting crew and aviation officials to immediately disembark all travellers and ground the aircraft for safety inspections. This precautionary action led to disruptions across several sectors previously scheduled for the day, as the grounded aircraft was assigned to operate multiple flights.
Air Peace described the damage as significant, noting the aircraft’s role within its expanding fleet, and acknowledged the inconvenience caused to passengers due to the unexpected disruption. No injuries have been reported in connection with the incident.
NCAA spokesperson Micheal Achimugu reiterated that such incidents, even those caused by ground equipment, require immediate technical evaluation and regulatory compliance checks to ensure passenger safety, and highlighted the need for stronger oversight of ground handling operations in Nigeria’s busiest aviation hub.
Travellers affected by the disruption are understood to have been rebooked on alternate flights where possible, and Air Peace is expected to provide updates on rescheduling and maintenance timelines as the investigation into the incident continues.
