A cracked windscreen on a chartered aircraft has delayed the Super Eagles’ arrival in Uyo ahead of Tuesday’s FIFA World Cup qualifier against Benin Republic.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) disclosed this in a statement through Ademola Olajire, NFF’s Director of Communications on Saturday made available to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
The ValueJet aircraft was transporting the team from Polokwane, South Africa, to Uyo, Akwa Ibom.
The same aircraft had flown part of the delegation to Polokwane on Thursday night, arriving on Friday morning.
The incident occurred after a refueling stop in Luanda, Angola.
According to the NFF, the aircraft developed a cracked windscreen mid-air after take-off from Luanda.
The pilot returned the plane safely to the airport in Luanda.
The aircraft had also used Luanda for refueling during previous trips to and from Bloemfontein for the Matchday 8 tie against South Africa.
The NFF said officials are working to resolve the situation.
Authorities involved include the Minister of Aviation, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Chief of Staff to the President.
Efforts are ongoing to secure flight clearance for another aircraft to convey the team from Luanda to Uyo.
A cracked aircraft windscreen is a serious issue that can lead to a rapid decompression if the inner layers are compromised, causing a loud noise and potentially blowing out unsecured objects and people. Pilots are trained to immediately descend to a lower altitude, where the air pressure is less intense, and divert to the nearest airport to have the aircraft inspected and repaired. While the cracks themselves are rarely catastrophic and the plane will remain flyable, they require immediate attention to ensure flight safety.
