The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has demonstrated its readiness to respond to air crashes and other emergencies at airports nationwide.
FAAN conducted a simulated air crash rescue operation at Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA) in Lagos on Thursday. The exercise involved deploying two fire tenders from the Aerodrome Rescue & Fire Fighting Service (ARFFS), a department responsible for responding to airport emergencies.
The fire tenders extinguished a raging inferno from a Boeing 737 aircraft that skidded off the runway during landing on the 18L/36R runway at Lagos airport, leaking fuel.
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At least 45 people, including five crew members, were onboard during the mock accident.
Regional General Manager, South West, FAAN, Mr. Olatokunbo Arewa, stated:
“This exercise satisfies International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) requirements, showcasing our preparedness for emergencies. Although we don’t anticipate emergencies, we must prepare.
This exercise occurs every two years.”
“Our response team arrived promptly, discharging their duties to rescue all onboard and protect equipment from damage.”
General Manager, Station Commander, Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Services, MMA, Mrs. Dolapo Fakunle, praised the response time, achieved in under two minutes, with the simulated fire extinguished within three minutes.
She added: “With our firefighting equipment, we’re fully equipped to combat emergencies. We have reliable fire service vehicles.”