Azman Air Incident: FAAN Clears Runway As Flights Resume

By LOVETH AZODO, Lagos

THE Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has announced the reopening of International Runway 18R/36L and the resumption of flight operations.

The runway was shutdown to enable the removal of Azman Air’s Boeing 737-500 aircraft with registration 5N SYS, and flight number ZQ2325 which tyre bursted in the middle of the Runway causing the cancelations of flights.

The Authority made the announcement in a statement by the General Manager, Corporate Communications, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria FAAN, Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu.

It stated that it took the combined efforts of relevant stakeholders to evacuate the aircraft from the runway.

Aircraft was said to be moved in the early hours of the morning, opening up the international runway which was hitherto closed due to the incident to traffic.

The Azman aircraft a Boeing 737 was reported to have overshut the runway on landing after a burst tyre and as a result, the runway was temporarily closed to flights and a Notice To Airmen, NOTEM issued by the Airspace Agency, NAMA.

In a statement to confirm the incident last night, FAAN says, “the closure is due to a landing incident involving a Boeing 737 Azman Air aircraft with registration 5N SYS, and flight number ZQ2325. The aircraft had a tyre burst after landing on this runway”.

“All passengers and crew on board the aircraft were safely evacuated at 1908 hours, and officials of FAAN Air Rescue and Fire Fighting Services, AIB and NAHCO are already working to ensure the aircraft is towed out of the runway, so as to restore normalcy”.