DId you know, that 512 escaped another Plane crash in Sokoto on Friday?

Barely 24 hours after Associated Airlines plane crashed in Lagos airport on Thursday, killing 13 people, another major air disaster was averted on Friday night when a Kabo Airline Boeing 747 plane carrying 512 pilgrims landed on airport equipment at Sokoto Airport.

Sources at Sokoto Airport said the jumbo aircraft, while trying to land on the runway, knocked and damaged the airport’s Instrument Landing System equipment.

The development came when the nation is still mourning the victims of the Associated Airlines’ Embraer 120 plane crash involving the remains of a former Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Agagu.

The Saudi Arabi-bound jumbo plane, which took off from the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, was to have a stop-over in Sokoto to carry additional pilgrims when the incident happened.

As a result, the 512 Mecca-bound pilgrims were stranded in Sokoto. As at Saturday evening, the pilgrims were still on Sokoto.

A statement from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria confirmed the incident and said the plane damaged the airports ILS.

The statement by the General Manager, Corporate Communications, Mr. Yakubu Dati, however, said the aircraft landed safely in Sokoto airport.

Dati said, “A Boeing 747-3 aircraft with Reg 5N-JRM, operated by Kabo airlines arrived safely with all passengers and crew on board, following a landing incident at the Sokoto airport at 2100 GMT. The aircraft, which departed from Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano was en route Saudi Arabia when it had a stop-over at the Sokoto airport for passenger pickup.” Punch News