Air Peace has confirmed that one of its Airbus A320 aircraft was severely damaged after a baggage conveyor belt vehicle operated by the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) collided with the aircraft’s engine at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 1 in Lagos.
The incident occurred on Tuesday, July 14, shortly after the aircraft completed Flight P47427 from Kano and passengers had safely disembarked.
According to the airline, the impact caused extensive damage to the aircraft’s engine, rendering it unserviceable and forcing disruptions across its flight network.
In a statement, Air Peace said the aircraft had been scheduled to operate several flights over the coming days. “The ground handling equipment belonging to and operated by NAHCO tore into the aircraft and rendered it totally unserviceable,” the airline said.
The carrier warned that the incident would result in delays and possible cancellations of scheduled flights as it adjusts operations to accommodate the unexpected loss of the aircraft.
Air Peace said it is working closely with NAHCO and relevant aviation authorities to investigate the incident and implement measures to prevent a recurrence.
The airline reiterated that passenger safety remains its highest priority and apologised to customers affected by the disruption.
“Our operations and customer service teams are actively providing alternative arrangements and necessary support to minimise the inconvenience to affected passengers,” the statement added.
As of the time of filing this report, NAHCO had not issued an official response to the incident.
The accident adds to concerns over ground handling safety at Nigeria’s busiest airport, where airlines continue to rely on efficient and incident-free ramp operations to maintain flight schedules.
