An Air Peace flight scheduled from Lagos to Accra was disrupted on Thursday, December 26, 2025, after a luggage conveyor belt vehicle operated by the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) collided with the aircraft at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
The incident occurred shortly after passengers had fully boarded the Embraer 195-E2 aircraft (registration 5N-BYH). The conveyor belt struck the right engine, causing visible damage to the thrust reverser cowling a critical component of the engine cover.
For safety reasons, all passengers were immediately deboarded while the aircraft was grounded for technical inspection and repairs. No injuries were reported among passengers or crew.
The disruption led to significant delays, affecting at least nine scheduled flight sectors operated by the aircraft that day, during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) confirmed the incident through its Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, who described it as a serious ground handling mishap.
The NCAA has raised concerns over recurring safety lapses by ground handling companies and indicated that sanctions may follow pending investigation.
Air Peace issued a statement regretting the inconvenience and assured affected passengers of rebooking on alternative flights.
The airline is working with authorities to determine the full extent of the damage, which sources say could be costly to repair.
This incident comes amid heightened scrutiny of ground operations at Nigeria’s major airports, with stakeholders calling for improved training and stricter adherence to safety protocols.
Source: Air Peace Lagos-Accra Flight Disrupted by Ground Vehicle Collision
