The runway at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, has been temporarily closed for inspection and clearance after a Max Air aircraft suffered a tyre burst while landing on Tuesday night.
The incident, which occurred at 10:57pm, involved Flight VM1605 with registration number 5N-MBD. Despite the mishap, all 53 passengers and crew members were safely evacuated without injuries.
Max Air confirmed the incident in a statement on their official X (formerly Twitter) account on Wednesday morning, explaining that the aircraft had been removed from the runway as of 4:28am. The airline also apologized for flight disruptions caused by the temporary runway closure.
“Our crew handled the situation professionally, ensuring the safe evacuation of all passengers and crew members. There were no injuries, and the aircraft has since been removed from the runway,” Max Air stated.
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) also verified the incident, stating that the aircraft had been relocated to taxiway B.
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“The NCAA has directed that a thorough runway inspection be carried out before re-opening the runway,” the agency said in a statement.
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has taken charge of the investigation into the incident, which sources suggest may have involved the aircraft’s nose landing gear tyre.
Max Air praised its engineering team for their swift response and assured passengers that updates on flight schedules will be provided as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, flight operations at the airport remain affected as authorities work to ensure the safety of the runway before re-opening it for use.
