Bird Strike Forces Grounding of Air Peace Aircraft at Osubi Airport, Warri-Lagos Flight Cancelled
Nigeria’s largest carrier, Air Peace, has cancelled its scheduled return service from Warri to Lagos after one of its aircraft suffered a bird strike while landing at Osubi Airport in Delta State.
The incident occurred during the aircraft’s touchdown phase at the airport, which serves the commercial city of Warri and surrounding communities. Despite the encounter with birds on the runway, the flight crew successfully completed a safe landing.
Following the incident, the aircraft was immediately handed over to Air Peace’s engineering and maintenance personnel for detailed technical examination. Safety inspectors subsequently commenced a comprehensive assessment to determine the extent of any possible damage caused by the strike.
In a statement issued by the airline’s spokesperson, Osifo-Whiskey Efe, preliminary findings indicated that additional inspections were required before the aircraft could be returned to service.
“Preliminary inspections revealed the need for further checks on the landing gear, necessitating the grounding of the aircraft in accordance with established aviation safety procedures,” Efe stated.
“As a result, the scheduled return service from Osubi to Lagos has been cancelled.”
Bird strikes are considered a significant safety concern in aviation because they can affect critical aircraft structures, engines, sensors and hydraulic systems. Consequently, international aviation regulations require extensive inspections before any affected aircraft is cleared for further operations.
According to the airline, attention has been focused particularly on the landing gear assembly to ascertain whether the high-speed landing roll resulted in any structural or hydraulic damage.
In response to the disruption caused by the cancellation, Air Peace activated its passenger support measures and assured affected travellers that arrangements were being made to minimise inconvenience.
The airline disclosed that it had secured hotel accommodation in Osubi for stranded passengers while its operations team works on alternative arrangements to transport them safely to Lagos as quickly as possible.
Management of the airline expressed regret over the disruption and apologised to customers whose travel plans were affected by the unforeseen development.
“At Air Peace, safety remains our foremost priority,” the airline stated. “While disruptions of this nature are regrettable, every operational decision is guided by our unwavering commitment to the highest standards of safety and regulatory compliance.”
The carrier also thanked passengers for their patience, understanding and cooperation, assuring them that further updates regarding alternative travel arrangements and revised flight schedules would be communicated directly as the situation develops.
The incident is one among many operational challenges posed by bird strikes, which remain a recurring hazard in global aviation and often require airlines to prioritise safety over schedule adherence whenever such occurrences arise.
