OBI, OTHERS ESCAPE DEATH AS PILOT ASKS PASSENGERS TO THANK GOD

What could have turned to be an air mishap on Tuesday was avoided by the experience of the Arik Pilot of Flight W 3788 conveying over 100 passengers from Lagos to Asaba.

The flight which was supposed to take off at 8:30 am was delayed in Lagos on account of bad weather. Though passengers had boarded the flight, but after about 2 hours on board, they were asked to disembark to the departure lounge as the plane could not take off on account of what the pilot called “terribly bad weather at Asaba.”

After about 3 hours, the flight was boarded again because weather reports showed improvement within the internationally accepted landing standards. By the time it was boarded again, many people who sensed the situation as warning from providence had already cancelled their trips.

On getting to Asaba, the weather became bad again. Attempts at landing was difficult. Not wanting to take chances the pilot promptly returned to Lagos. On reaching Lagos, the weather there had already gone very  bad by  aviation standard. The plane had to hover around for hours amidst dwindling aviation fuel. It finally landed at 4:45 pm amidst signs of relief from traumatized passengers who clapped in jubilation. The  pilot, Captain Sandy Miller merely told passengers to thank their God for His  mercies when they got home.

Speaking to aviation correspondents at the Domestic Wing of Murtala Muhammed Airport, Gov Peter Obi of Anambra State, who travelled to South-Africa on Sunday and returned on Tuesday to Lagos, said he was determined to make the flight to Asaba en route to Awka because he did not like staying outside Awka more days  than necessary.

Moreover, he said that he had already planned so many things he would have done at home on Tuesday.  When he was persistently asked those things, he reluctantly said that he had projects to inspect such as the progress of work at Upper-Iweka, the drainage challenge at Ogidi as well as the site for the construction of  Agulu Lake Hotel Resort, which, according to him, would take off in a matter of days.

Source: Daily Independent