Flight operations have resumed at the Benin Airport in Edo State, 12 days after an Enugu Air aircraft veered off the runway shortly after landing, forcing a temporary closure of the facility.
The reopening was confirmed by ValueJet, which announced that its flights to and from Benin would resume on Wednesday, August 5, following the completion of recovery operations and safety assessments by relevant authorities.
The runway was shut on July 23 after an Enugu Air Embraer E170 operating from Lagos to Benin left the runway after landing. The aircraft had 63 passengers and five crew members onboard, all of whom disembarked safely without injuries.
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau deployed investigators to examine the incident, including the aircraft, runway condition, flight crew and operational records, to determine the circumstances surrounding the occurrence.
The closure disrupted services by several airlines, including Air Peace and United Nigeria Airlines.
Aviation authorities have maintained that investigations into the incident are ongoing, while Enugu Air said the aircraft experienced a runway excursion linked to possible hydroplaning during landing.
