Super Eagles flight from Polokwane to Uyo has suffered a major setback ahead of the crucial World Cup qualifier against Benin Republic.
The aircraft carrying the team and officials from Polokwane, South Africa to Uyo, Akwa Ibom state for their final World Cup qualifier made an emergency landing in Luanda, the capital of Angola.
The Value Jet chattered aircraft had made an initial stop in Luanda to refuel before continuing the trip to Uyo.
Unfortunately, barely twenty five minutes after taking off from the airport in Luanda, the pilot made a U-turn into Luanda after noticing a heavy crack on the air craft’s wind shield. Thankfully, the pilot made a safe landing.
The players, officials and government delegates onboard have been immediately evacuated from the aircraft and as they await the swift response of the airline operator.
The Nigeria Football Federation has confirmed the incident in a press release a few minutes ago.
Press Release
The Nigeria Football Federation has stated that a cracked windscreen of the chartered ValueJet Airline aircraft that was conveying the Super Eagles’ delegation from Polokwane in South Africa to Uyo, for Tuesday’s FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Benin Republic, has delayed the arrival of the players and officials in the Akwa Ibom State capital.
The same aircraft had flown some members of the delegation to Polokwane on Thursday night,
arriving in the South African city on Friday morning.
However, after a routine refueling stop in Luanda, Angola (where the plane also stopped to
refuel on Thursday night, and where the same plane had stopped to refuel to and from Bloemfontein in South Africa for the Matchday 8 encounter between the Super Eagles and the
Bafana Bafana last month), the aircraft suffered a cracked windscreen mid-air after take-off,
and the pilot did well to guide the airplane safely back to the airport in Luanda.
ValueJet Airline and the relevant Federal Government of Nigeria authorities including the Hon. Minister of Aviation, the Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Chief of Staff to Mr.
President are working assiduously to get the necessary overflying and landing permits for
another aircraft to fly from Lagos, pick the delegation in Luanda and fly them to Uyo.
