Rapper and content creator Chinedu, also known as Triple Pin, has shared an emotional account of surviving the Enugu Air aircraft that veered off the runway while landing at the Benin Airport, saying the experience changed his perspective on life.
In a video shared on his Instagram page after the incident on Thursday, the creator said he had only seen plane crashes in movies and on social media until he experienced one firsthand.
“This is how these big dreams would have gone. Our plane crashed today. I used to see things like this in movies and on social media. I thought it was limited to that,” he said.
Recounting the moments before the incident, Triple Pin said heavy rainfall had severely affected visibility during the flight, leaving him wondering how the pilot was navigating the weather.
“The whole window was blurry because rain was falling. I was wondering how the pilot was able to continue despite the weather,” he said.
According to him, the aircraft circled repeatedly while attempting to land before things suddenly went wrong.
“When we got to our destination, and it was time to land, the pilot was rotating in the air, looking for where to land. He kept rotating, and that was how he lost control and moved towards the bush. All of a sudden, all I heard was noise. Everybody was in panic,” he said.
The content creator expressed gratitude that the aircraft did not burst into flames after leaving the runway.
“The reason our plane didn’t catch fire was because rain was falling. That is how I would have died. That is how these big dreams would have been unfulfilled. I came out with no injury,” he said.
His reaction came after the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau reported the commencement of an investigation into a runway excursion involving an Enugu Air Embraer E170 aircraft at the Benin Airport, Edo State.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the bureau said the aircraft, operating as Flight 4264 with registration 5N-ENR from Lagos to Benin, overran the end of Runway 05 during landing at about 3:10 p.m. local time.
The NSIB disclosed that there were 63 passengers and five crew members on board, adding that all occupants were safely accounted for and no injuries were recorded.
The bureau said its Go Team arrived at the scene within minutes to begin gathering evidence, interviewing the crew, examining the aircraft and assessing runway conditions as part of its investigation.
The Director-General of the NSIB, Capt. Alex Badeh Jr., said the safe evacuation of everyone on board was reassuring but stressed that every runway excursion remained a serious aviation occurrence.
“We are relieved that all passengers and crew members are safe and that no injuries were reported. While this is reassuring, every runway excursion is a serious occurrence that deserves a thorough and independent investigation,” he said.
Enugu Air also confirmed the incident, describing it as a runway excursion involving one of its Embraer regional jets. The airline said all passengers and crew members were safely evacuated without injuries, adding that some flight schedules could be temporarily adjusted while investigations continue.
