Royal Air Maroc aircraft returns to MMIA over faulty door

Royal Air Maroc A B737-700 aircraft with registration number CN-RNQ on Sunday made an air return to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, over a discovered faulty door.

Mrs Henrietta Yakubu, General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), confirmed the incident in a statement in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that another aircraft belonging to Royal Air Maroc on Oct. 11 landed at the Lagos airport with its baggage cabin opened.

The FAAN and the Nigeria Police Force after investigations had claimed that the baggage holding was likely opened due to a “forced landing’’ by the aircraft.

FAAN had said investigations showed that there were no intruders around the air-side when it landed.

On the latest incident, Yakubu said the aircraft pilot discovered that the cargo door light was flickering, inspite of the Aviation Security escort visual observation that the cargo door was closed.

Yakubu said: “he alerted the control tower, requesting to return to the apron, at the MMIA, Lagos, at about 5:30 a.m today.

“The aviation security escort team remained with the aircraft as it taxied back to the apron.

“At the apron, all concerned officers of FAAN and other agencies were on ground for thorough inspection.”

She said in line with standard practice, all parties concerned supervised the offloading and the re-screening of all the luggage of passengers on board the aircraft.

“All the luggage belonging to the passengers were intact as certified by the team on ground before the flight eventually took-off at 10.06 a.m in the presence of the Airport Manager and Chief Security Officer of the Airport,” Yakubu added.

(NAN)