By Paul Joseph
A passenger, Adegbenga Olusegun Fehintola, has recounted the terrifying moments aboard an Air Peace flight from Lagos to Kano after severe weather and heavy rainfall forced the aircraft to turn back to Lagos.
The flight, which departed from Murtala Muhammed International Airport (LOS), Lagos, for Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (KAN), Kano, reportedly encountered difficult weather conditions that prevented it from landing in Kano.
Fehintola said what was expected to be a routine one-hour, 15-minute journey eventually stretched to about three hours and 30 minutes, with passengers experiencing severe turbulence and sudden drops during the return journey.
According to him, the aircraft encountered heavy rainfall while approaching Kano, prompting the pilot to assess the weather conditions before attempting to land.
He said about 70 per cent of the runway lights at the Kano airport reportedly went off, making the landing difficult and forcing the pilot to abort the approach and return to Lagos.
However, Fehintola said the return journey became even more frightening as the aircraft encountered severe turbulence around what he believed was the Kaduna axis.
He described one of the most frightening moments as a “free fall”, saying the aircraft appeared to descend suddenly, possibly as the pilot navigated through or around thick clouds.
This was followed by what he described as extremely violent shaking and vibration inside the aircraft.
According to Fehintola, a woman seated directly in front of him was reportedly thrown out of the aircraft’s lavatory during the turbulence.
He said the woman eventually returned to her seat crying and remained quiet for the rest of the journey.
Fehintola said the atmosphere inside the aircraft changed dramatically as the turbulence intensified.
He explained that some passengers had initially laughed and joked when the turbulence was mild while the aircraft was around Kano, but the mood changed completely when the conditions became more severe.
“People screamed,” he recounted, adding that two passengers reportedly passed out while about three others allegedly lost control of their bladders.
Passengers were also said to have held tightly to their seats and prayed as the aircraft battled the turbulent weather on its way back to Lagos.
Fehintola noted that the worst turbulence occurred about 15 minutes after passengers were informed that the aircraft would return to Lagos, rather than during the initial approach to Kano.
Despite the ordeal, the Air Peace aircraft eventually landed safely back in Lagos.
Reflecting on the experience, Fehintola said the incident gave him a renewed appreciation for life and reminded him of the vulnerability of passengers while travelling thousands of feet above the ground.
“Yesterday’s flight reminded me that no matter how much we plan, there are moments when all we can do is trust God,” he said.
Fehintola expressed gratitude for returning safely to solid ground and invited other travellers to share their experiences of severe turbulence during flights.
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