NUJ President, 74 others escape death as aircraft loses engine mid-air
News BY Kenneth Ehigiator & DANIEL
ETEGHE

Over 75 passengers and crew narrowly escaped death Thursday as a Rabat, Morocco-bound Royal Air Maroc flight lost one of its engines mid-air.

The flight, which took off at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at about 7:30am, had on board National President of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Garba Mohammed, and seven other Nigerian journalists who were to attend the Federation of Africa
Journalists conference in Morocco. The other journalists include National Secretary, NUJ, Shuaibu Liman,National Treasurer, Fatima Abdulkarim, Mukhtar Gidado, former Vice President, Zone E, Gbenga Onayiga, as well as chairmen of Bauchi and Kogi states chapters of the union. Also on board the flight was a group of Beninois journalists who were billed to attend the same conference.

Vanguard gathered that the aircraft, Boeing 737-800, was already an hour into the flight when the pilot noticed failure in one of the engines of the twin-engine aircraft. He was said to have immediately embarked on a return to point of take-off and called for emergency landing. Lagos airport officials who preferred anonymity, said fire tenders and ambulance vehicles were deployed in response to the emergency declared by the pilot. Fire hydrants were reportedly deployed in runway 18R where the pilot was expected to land the aircraft, having shed off fuel. The pilot was, however, said to have landed safely without any injury to passengers and bodily damage to the aircraft.

Passengers who had urgent appointments to keep in Morocco
reportedly engaged officials of the airline in war of words for deploying
an aircraft deemed not airworthy. The intervention of airport officials was said to have prevented what could have been an ugly spectacle at the airport.

NUJ President, Garba Mohammed, who thanked God for averting what could have been a major disaster, said the aircraft engines on take-off made some deafening vibrations, which frightened passengers on board. He quoted the Beninois journalists as saying the engines gave a similar sound when they took off in Cotonou yesterday morning en route Lagos. At press time, it was learnt that the airline was making arrangements to check the passengers into an hotel as stipulated by international civil aviation regulations, with a promise to airlift them to their destination today.

source: vanguardngr.com

Thank God no live was lost.

osaass: Thank God no live was lost.

Great thing it didnt happen... but why do aircraft allegedly deemed unworthy continue to fly,

It didnt happen this time, it might happen next, remember the Dana story and ponder how long we have to go before that piece of
molue comes crashing down?

This was an air Marco flight. From the article it seems it was the passengers that accused the operators of the carrier being not air worthy. Only God knows why the engine failed. Even brand new planes run into trouble. Remember the battery issues with the Dreamliner

osaass: Thank God no live was lost.

Yeah, thank God no live was lost and thank God it's not 'Aero Contractor'...

dougivilla:

[size=13pt]Passengers who had urgent appointments to keep in Morocco[/size]
reportedly engaged officials of the airline in war of words for deploying
an aircraft deemed not airworthy. The intervention of airport officials was said to have prevented what could have been an ugly spectacle at the airport.

See people, instead of them, make dem dey thank their stars

instead of them to be thanking God for safe return to point of take off, they are busy engaging airline officials in a war of words. Aircraft engines are mechanical and can pack off any time.

Na wa ooo... Thank God, nothing happened to spoil my ♥GƠ̴̴̴̴͡.̮Ơ̴̴͡d friday celebrations.

Pangea:

See people, instead of them, make dem dey thank their stars

You just beat me to this comment, anyways FTC on your comment.

Adura_ngba: instead of them to be thanking God for safe return to point of take off, they are busy engaging airline officials in a war of words. Aircraft engines are mechanical and can pack off any time.

Na mumu dey worry them. Them no see how NUJ president dey thank God?

Lord pls keep disaster away from us

Adura_ngba: instead of them to be thanking God for safe return to point of take off, they are busy engaging airline officials in a war of words. Aircraft engines are mechanical and can pack off any time.

no mind yeye oyinbo people.. I bet no nigerian on that flight joined them. Our people wey like life pass anything, na "thanks giving" prayer you go dey hear left, right and center in different tongues.

I knew something was wrong when I heard the sound of that plane yesterday мσяηιηg. Sincerely I was all on twitter to hear another crash breaking news. Thank God it didn't happened. May His name be praised. I wish there could just be a better alternative to flying. I die a thousand times whenever I am airborne until touchdown. Ah!

Thank God they landed safely.

BluStreak: I knew something was wrong when I heard the sound of that plane yesterday мσяηιηg. Sincerely I was all on twitter to hear another crash breaking news. Thank God it didn't happened. May His name be praised. I wish there could just be a better alternative to flying. I die a thousand times whenever I am airborne until touchdown. Ah!

I do know the flight path, but 1 hour is quite a distance for the pilot to have risked returning to the point of take off when an engine fails?

Thank God His Grace and Mercy.

Adura_ngba: instead of them to be thanking God for safe return to point of take off, they are busy engaging airline officials in a war of words. Aircraft engines are mechanical and can pack off any time.

You suddenly realised that aircraft engines are mechanical and can pack off any time now that Air Maroc was involved,were you not one of those calling for the heads Dana airline chiefs?
Hypocrite

ThankGod for their life o

Thank God for His mercies...but how that word MAROC reminds me of that unpleasant MAROC 88 final,where a clear Henry Nwosu's goal was disallowed! Oh well Happy Easter,yall.

Is it correct to say all flights have dignitaries in them?

Most foreign airlines send their worst and oldest planes to Nigeria to carry Nigerians. British airways is the most guilty of this terrible act. The aviation people should look into this before a crash happens. This is an eye opener to all.

We thank God for the safe landing of the aircraft.

" Welcome aboard Maroc Air, flight 419, ladies and gentlemen. This is your captain speaking. Please do not be alarmed if an engine on this aircraft shudders violently enough to break loose and detach during takeoff. The fairly-used Aba-made turbine blades that were installed by panel-beaters and blacksmiths in Lagos airport will enable us to reach Morocco on schedule, God willing."

One hour later...

"Ahem. On second thoughts, God might have changed His mind about this plane reaching Morocco today. As a precaution while we circle out over the ocean to dump fuel before our return to Lagos Airport, passengers are advised to put on their life-jackets and pucker up to kiss their quivering aszes goodbye, while assuming the "brace" position until such time as the aircraft comes to a complete stop, or until they are observed by rescuers to be dead."

osaass: Thank God no live was lost.

Sir, I think you intended to use the word 'life'