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One of the engines on board an Air Peace flight from Abuja to Asaba allegedly broke during pre-takeoff at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Friday, narrowly avoiding a possible catastrophe.
The incident took place just after the plane accelerated on the runway; a loud noise and light flashes followed. Thankfully, no fires sprang out.
After the pilot successfully taxied the plane back to the terminal, he promptly aborted takeoff, and the passengers exited without incident.
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Upon the plane’s landing, several passengers erupted into prayers and songs of gratitude, as recorded by eyewitnesses, who also noted scenes of panic.
Zagazola Makama heard from a passenger who said the pilot responded quickly and competently.
A tremendous boom shook the air as we accelerated down the runway. There was a flare and a little trembling of the plane. As soon as the plane experienced an engine problem, the pilot calmly informed the passengers that they would be returning to the terminal.
Official word from Air Peace was lacking while this story was being written; however, airport sources verified that engineers were examining the plane to find out what went wrong.
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) is anticipated to initiate an investigation in accordance with aviation safety regulations; there were no reports of injuries or damage.