CITIZENS COMPASS —ValueJet Airlines reported on Tuesday that its CRJ 900 Bombardier aircraft, with registration number 5N-BXR, experienced a slip while taxiing after a safe landing, veering off the runway at Port Harcourt Airport in Rivers State.

In a statement, the airline assured that no damage occurred to the aircraft during the minor incident, which occurred at 3:30 local time. The airline explained that the slip was attributed to algae on the taxiway, causing the aircraft to be unable to maintain the center line.

Captain Stanley Balami, reporting on the incident, affirmed that the aircraft landed safely, and passengers were puzzled by the unexpected event. ValueJet emphasized that it remains a safe airline, and all operations continue without any disruptions.

This incident follows a recent near-accident on Sunday when a Boeing 737 aircraft with registration number 5N-BYQ, belonging to Aero Contractors, experienced a nose-stuck after landing at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) in Abuja. The incident occurred around 10:47 am, prompting the closure of the airport’s runway until the aircraft could be towed away, allowing normal air traffic to resume.

It was learnt that the near accident involving the Valuejet airline in Port Harcourt is bound to raise concern for stakeholders in the aviation sector.