The chartered flight transporting the Super Eagles players from Polokwane back to Nigeria was forced to make an emergency landing in Angola after the pilot announced a cracked windscreen in the cockpit shortly after take-off from Luanda, where the aircraft had initially stopped to refuel.
Fortunately, there was no visible threat to the lives of those on board, as the pilot skillfully landed the aircraft safely.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), in a statement released by the Director of Communication, Dr Ademola Olajire, on Saturday night, confirmed that the cracked windscreen of the chartered ValueJet Airline aircraft was transporting the Super Eagles’ delegation from Polokwane in South Africa to Uyo for Tuesday’s FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Benin Republic. This incident in Angola has delayed the arrival of the players and officials in the Akwa Ibom State capital.
“The same aircraft had flown some members of the delegation to Polokwane on Thursday night, arriving in the South African city on Friday morning,” Olajire stated.
However, after a routine refuelling stop in Luanda—where the plane had also stopped to refuel on Thursday night, and where it had previously stopped en route to and from Bloemfontein for last month’s Matchday 8 encounter between the Super Eagles and the Bafana Bafana—the aircraft experienced a cracked windscreen mid-air after take-off. Thankfully, the pilot managed to guide the airplane back to the airport in Luanda safely.
ValueJet Airline, along with the relevant authorities in the Federal Government of Nigeria, including the Hon. Minister of Aviation, the Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Chief of Staff to Mr President, are working diligently to secure the necessary overflying and landing permits for another aircraft to fly from Lagos, pick up the delegation in Luanda, and then transport them to Uyo.
Among the dignitaries on board the aircraft were the Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko, the Senate Chairman on Sports, Abdul Ningi, and the President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Ibrahim Gusau.
