Xejet aircraft skids off runway at Lagos Airport

A medium range aircraft Embraer 145 belonging to a premium services provider Xejet Airlines has skidded off the runway and plunged into the grass areas of Runway 18Left of Lagos Airport.

The aircraft with 52 passengers and the crew members on board departed Abuja Airport before the incident at the runway of Lagos Airport.

According to sources at the airport, the 18Left Runway has been closed to aircraft traffic as personnel of the Aerodrome Fire and Safety Rescue Unit of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) have mobilised to the scene of the incident to rescue the passengers.

Xejet Airlines is a business class only airline based in Nigeria.

The airline is based at Lagos Murtala Muhammed International Airport (LOS).

Aircraft skidding off the runway , experts say could be attributed to the heavy downpour which characterised Saturday in Lagos.