Latest Headlines
Max Air Flight VM1605 with 53 Passengers Onboard Suffers Tyre Burst on Landing at Kano Airport
![Max Air Flight VM1605 with 53 Passengers Onboard Suffers Tyre Burst on Landing at Kano Airport](https://global.ariseplay.com/amg/www.thisdaylive.com/uploads/Max-Air-1.jpeg)
Chinedu Eze in Lagos and Ahmad Sorondinki in Kano
Max Air Flight VM1605 with aircraft registration number: 5N-MBD on Tuesday night suffered tyre burst on landing at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano.
The flight had 53 passengers and six crew onboard who suffered no injuries.
Eye witness account indicated that the aircraft had tyre burst on landing at 22:57pm (Nigerian time).
The flight VM1605 had earlier departed the Murtala Muhammed Muhammed (MMA), Lagos for Kano.
It was however gathered that all the passengers onboard the flight were evacuated safely from the aircraft without any major injury.
Reports indicated that the aircraft may have lost the nose landing gear tyre (nosewheel) during landing, thereby leading to the serious incident.
As at the time of filing this report, no official of the airline could be reached for comments.
Narrating the incident, one of the passengers who pleaded anonymity, said, ‘’Immediately the trye of the aircraft bust into flame, smoke enveloped inside the aircraft and we had to alight through the emergency exit door.’’
He also added that, “As we were coming out of the aircraft, the fire servicemen were already spraying the plane with water to contain the flame.”
While confirming the incident at the airport, Kano Station Manager of Max Air, Malam Bello Ramalan, said all the passengers and crew members were safely evacuated.
“I would like to apologize for the inconvenience caused and express my gratitude to God for the safety of everyone on board. Our primary concern is always the safety of our passengers and crew.”
Ramalan then emphasised that
“In accordance with standard procedures, our team followed the necessary protocols for a crash landing and overshooting the runway.”
He added that, “These procedures include the immediate evacuation of passengers, isolation of the pilots, and coordination with investigation authorities.”
According to him, “We are currently working with the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) and the Aircraft and Equipment Department (AED) to investigate the incident. Preliminary reports indicate that a tire issue caused the incident.”
Ramalan however said,
“At Max Air, safety is our top priority, and we take all necessary measures to ensure the well-being of our passengers and crew. We will continue to cooperate fully with the relevant authorities to determine the cause of the incident and implement any necessary corrective actions.”
Therefore, “Once again, I apologize for the inconvenience caused and appreciate the understanding and cooperation of our passengers. We will do our best to ensure that your luggage is returned to you as soon as possible,”he said.