Aircraft’s cracked windscreen delays Super Eagles’ arrival in Uyo
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has stated that a cracked windscreen on the chartered ValueJet Airline aircraft conveying the Super Eagles’ delegation from Polokwane, South Africa, to Uyo for Tuesday’s FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Benin Republic 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.
However, after a routine refueling stop in Luanda, Angola — where the plane had also refueled on Thursday night, and during previous flights to and from Bloemfontein, South Africa, for the Matchday 8 encounter between the Super Eagles and Bafana Bafana last month — the aircraft suffered a cracked windscreen mid-air after takeoff. The pilot managed to guide the airplane safely back to the airport in Luanda.
ValueJet Airline and the relevant Federal Government authorities, including the Minister of Aviation, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Chief of Staff to the President, are working assiduously to secure the necessary overflying and landing permits for another aircraft to fly from Lagos, pick up the delegation in Luanda, and convey them to Uyo.
