Enugu Air Plane Veers Off Runway at Benin Airport

An Enugu Air Embraer E170, Flight 4264, suffered a runway excursion on Thursday, July 23, 2026, after veering off Runway 05 while landing at Benin Airport from Lagos. All 63 passengers and five crew members evacuated safely without injuries.

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria closed the runway to facilitate recovery operations and safety assessments. In response, Air Peace and United Nigeria Airlines suspended all flight operations to and from the airport until the runway is declared safe. Both airlines advised affected passengers to contact customer service for rebooking assistance.

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau launched a formal investigation into the cause of the excursion, with regulatory oversight from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority. Investigators expect to issue a preliminary report within 30 days.

Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State issued a statement on Friday sympathizing with the passengers and crew. Mbah asserted that the state-owned airline maintains safety standards higher than the industry benchmark and committed to full cooperation with regulatory authorities during the probe.