The Federal Government’s mission to evacuate stranded Nigerians from South Africa encountered a significant setback this morning. The fourth scheduled evacuation flight, operated by Air Peace, was grounded in Johannesburg after maintenance teams detected a crack in the aircraft’s cockpit windscreen during routine pre-flight safety checks.


Safety Protocol Over Schedule


The discovery was made shortly before the flight was cleared for departure, forcing an immediate suspension of the operation. Kimiebi Ebienfa, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed the incident on Wednesday, emphasizing that the decision to ground the aircraft was a mandatory safety precaution.


"We have a situation in Johannesburg regarding the operation of the fourth evacuation flight," Ebienfa stated. "The flight could not take off because cracks were discovered on the windscreen in the cockpit. Passenger safety remains our top priority, and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this delay has caused."


Operational Response


In response to the technical failure, Air Peace has initiated contingency plans to ensure the repatriation exercise continues with minimal disruption. The airline is currently finalizing arrangements to deploy a replacement aircraft to Johannesburg later today. This backup flight is expected to complete the airlift of the remaining returnees, who are part of the government's broader efforts to assist citizens amid ongoing regional security concerns.


The Federal Government continues to coordinate with aviation authorities to ensure the swift arrival of the replacement vessel and the safe return of the affected passengers to Nigeria.