A pilot and co-pilot have been found to have consumed alcohol before a plane veered off the runway while landing in Nigeria, according to the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB).
The incident occurred in July at Port Harcourt International Airport, involving a Boeing 737 operated by Air Peace with 103 passengers and crew on board. No injuries were reported.
Toxicology tests conducted shortly after the event reportedly showed that both the 64-year-old pilot and his 28-year-old co-pilot had traces of Ethyl Glucuronide (EtG), a substance that indicates recent alcohol use. A cabin crew member also tested positive for THC, the psychoactive compound in cannabis.
Air Peace said the pilot has been dismissed for breaching safety standards, while the co-pilot was cleared by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and reinstated after a clean bill of health from the regulator.
The airline added that it has yet to receive official toxicology reports from the NSIB, saying the tests were carried out less than an hour after the incident but no formal communication had been issued more than a month later.
The pilot had logged over 18,000 flight hours, while the co-pilot had nearly 1,200. The NSIB said its inquiry is ongoing but has already advised airlines to strengthen training and internal safety procedures.
Although Nigeria has not recorded a major air crash in recent years, runway overruns and burst tyres during landings have been reported. Earlier this month, aviation authorities unveiled a new flight data centre aimed at boosting air safety, but experts are calling for further technological upgrades and stronger safeguards in the sector.
