By Jake Aimuan
Tragedy was averted in Kano on Tuesday afternoon as a Kano-Abuja Max Air flight made an air return to Malam Aminu Kano International Airport, (MAKIA) barely 10 minutes after takeoff following a suspected technical fault relating to the aircraft’s engine.
The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, was one of the VIPs on board the aircraft when the incident occurred.
Our aviation correspondent gathered that the airplane with 132 passengers and eight crew members was airborne at about 2:31 pm but made what was apparently an emergency landing at about 2:40 pm, just nine minutes after its initial departure.
The airplane with registration number 5N-BBM and flight VM1645, scheduled to depart at 1.30pm had about a 30 minutes delay.
Some passengers were said to have been infuriated by the fact that they were kept in the dark as to what was going on with the airplane as the plane returned to the airport moments after it took off.
The pilot reported to the control tower that they had a bird strike (a normal occurrence in aviation)at take off and needed to return for a check, our correspondent learnt.
A source alleged that the incident was caused by an engine failure, though the pilot and un-named officials attributed it to a bird strike.
Narrating his experience, one of the passengers, Samaila Suleiman, described what happened on Tuesday afternoon as a close shave and accusing the airline company of negligence.
He said that he heard a strange sound when the aircraft was taking off but dismissed it, not regarding the strange sound as signifying real danger.
According to Suleiman, “I heard a strange sound during the take off but brushed it aside. I have used aircraft many times but had never heard such a sound during takeoff.
“The cabin crew members and the pilot were helpless because they apparently lost control of the aircraft.
“Not even radio announcement was made until we found ourselves back at the airport where we had taken off few minutes earlier”.
The aircraft eventually departed Kano at about 6.33pm, after more than three-and-half hours delay following the scary experience.
However, no official statement or explanation has yet been issued by the management of Max Air when the report was filed.
