By ITOHAN ABARA-LASERIAN

A ground handling incident on Friday disrupted flight operations involving a brand-new Embraer 195-E2 aircraft belonging to Air Peace Ltd.

The incident occurred at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

A reliable source at the airport said in Lagos that the aircraft, with registration number 5N-BYH, was scheduled to operate Flight P47750 from Lagos to Accra when the collision occurred.

The source, who would not want to quoted, said that the luggage conveyor belt vehicle operated by the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) collided with the aircraft’s engine while it was on the ground after passengers had completed boarding.

“The impact caused visible damage, resulting in a dent and tear on the aircraft’s Thrust Reverser Cowling, a part of the engine cover, prompting an immediate safety assessment and grounding of the aircraft.

” As a result of the incident, about 150 passengers already on board were asked to disembark, leading to operational delays and disruptions,” the source said.

He added that nine scheduled flights assigned to the aircraft for the day were affected, leaving numerous passengers stranded or rebooked on alternative services.

“Beyond passenger inconvenience, the incident has financial implications, as engine-related repairs on modern commercial aircraft are known to be capital-intensive.

“Earlier in the year, a similar incident involving engine cowling damage reportedly cost approximately 3.5 million dollars to rectify,” the source said.

He, however, said that no injuries were reported, adding that investigations were expected to reveal the circumstances surrounding the collision.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Tayo Ajakaye, Asst. General Manager, Corporate Communications at NAHCO, was not available for comments on the matter. (NAN)