On Tuesday, passengers of an Aero Contractors flight heading towards Lagos, Nigeria, experienced perhaps the most terrifying flight of their lives. While they were on board, an engine caught fire in the middle of the flight, and the smoke that filled the cabin set off the fire alarms.
The Story of the Almost Tragedy
20 minutes after they started the flight, smoke began to fill up the plane. A video that was released showed how the passengers reacted. Found in a state of sheer panic, they started to chant prayers and to sing, probably fearing the worst. The video also reveals that the cabin crew did not offer them the oxygen masks, and advised them to use their own handkerchiefs. As such, many people can be seen coughing and spluttering.
People Were Panicked
The person who posted the video is Oriakwu Okwesilieze, who boarded the flight from Port Harcourt. She published the images depicting other passengers who were saying prayers and screaming. She also posted a message on Twitter, saying that she escaped death on the Aero flight going from Port Harcourt to Lagos, and that she is thankful for that.
The whole nightmare lasted for 35 minutes. According to people’s reports, the smoke got really thick, and the blades of the plane started to spark. Moreover, the burning smell made people even more worried. What’s even worse, they received no explanation about the incident and many people threatened to sue the company.
No Official Cause
Overall, on board were 53 passengers, among which there was a 7-month-old baby. The Sahara Reporters said that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) is currently looking into the cause of the engine fire. The official response from the Aero Contractors was given by their spokesman, who said that the cabin crew handed passengers wet towels as a precaution.