Yemisi Izuora
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has confirmed the resumption of normal flight operations at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, that was temporarily closed on Thursday.
Flight operations were closed between 1:10 a.m and 3:43 a.m, due to the discovery of a mangled unidentified human body found on Runway 18R of the international wing.
Mrs Faithful Hope-ivbaze, the AG General Manager, Corporate Affairs of FAAN who gave the confirmation in a statement in Lagos on Friday, said that Flight operations resumed at 3:43 a.m.
Hope-ivbaze confirmed that the runway was shut down because an unidentified human remains was found on runway 18R/36L on May 19 at the Muritala Muhammed lnternational Airport (MMIA), Airport, Lagos.
She said flight operations had resumed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, after removal of the mangled body on the runway.
Hope-ivbaze, said that a motorised cleaner, that was cleared to carry out sweeping of the runway discovered the remains at about 1:06 a.m. and notified the relevant departments on the issue.
According to her, ” As a result, between 1:10 a.m and 3:43 a.m, the runway was temporarily closed to allow for immediate evacuation of the remains.
” Flight operations resumed at 3:43 a.m.
The FAAN spokesperson said that investigations were ongoing, and a report will be issued accordingly.
The FAAN has also launched investigations into unidentified human remains found on Runway 18R/36L of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.
Nigerians were stunned by a reported incident of a mangled body of alleged security personnel on the runway on Thursday.
Not a few were worried about how the incident happened with some insinuating that the engine of an airplane might have sucked in the deceased but no airline has reported that it experienced any such incident.
The Acting General Manager, Corporate Affairs for FAAN, Mrs. Faithful A. Hope-Ivbaze in a statement confirmed that the agency had indeed launched an investigation into the incident.
Giving an insight into the incident, she said that a motorized cleaner, that was cleared to carry out a derruberization and sweeping of the runway discovered the remains at about 0106hours, and escalated the situation to relevant departments.
“As a result, between 0110 and 0343 hours, the runway was temporarily closed to allow for the immediate evacuation of the remains. Flight operations resumed at 0343 hours. Investigations are ongoing, and a report will be issued accordingly.