WARRI, DELTA STATE — Management of Osubi Airport in Okpe Local Government Area of Delta State has denied claims by Air Peace that one of its aircraft experienced a bird strike while landing at the facility on June 5.
Air Peace had earlier reported that its Lagos–Osubi flight encountered a bird strike during landing, an incident it said led to the grounding of the aircraft and the cancellation of its return flight to Lagos.
However, airport authorities have disputed the airline’s account, stating that preliminary findings from their internal review do not support the claim that the incident occurred within the airport’s airspace or runway environment.
The Airport Manager, Winston Egwuatu, said early investigations suggest that the aircraft may have encountered the bird strike before arriving at Osubi Airport, possibly during departure from its origin airport or en route.
According to him, inspections carried out before and after the aircraft’s landing at Osubi did not reveal any physical evidence such as bird carcasses, feathers, or signs of bird activity on or around the runway area.
Egwuatu further noted that Osubi Airport has maintained a strong safety record, stating that the facility has gone nearly two years without recording a bird strike incident. He added that routine wildlife hazard management measures at the airport remain active and consistent with aviation safety standards.
The management emphasised that airport operations include regular runway inspections, environmental monitoring, and coordination with aviation authorities to minimise risks associated with bird activity, which is a known hazard in aviation operations worldwide.
Air Peace, however, maintained that its flight was affected by a bird strike during landing, leading to operational disruptions and the grounding of the affected aircraft for safety checks and maintenance assessments.
The conflicting accounts have prompted further investigation, with aviation stakeholders expected to review flight data, maintenance records, and operational logs to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the incident.
Egwuatu stressed that the airport is fully cooperating with relevant aviation authorities to ensure that a thorough and transparent investigation is conducted. He reiterated that safety remains the top priority for all operations at Osubi Airport.
Aviation experts note that bird strikes are not uncommon in global aviation and typically require detailed investigations to determine the point of impact, contributing factors, and preventive measures for future flights.
As investigations continue, both the airport management and the airline are expected to provide additional technical details to clarify the situation and resolve the differing accounts of the incident.
