Flight Delay Disrupts Fourth South Africa Evacuation as Aircraft Develops Cockpit Fault

• Cockpit windscreen crack forces suspension of scheduled evacuation flight from Johannesburg.
• Federal Government says Air Peace will deploy a replacement aircraft to complete the mission.
• Passengers stranded temporarily as authorities apologise and reassure Nigerians of safe evacuation.

The Federal Government has announced a temporary delay in the fourth evacuation flight for Nigerians stranded in South Africa after a technical fault was detected on the aircraft scheduled for the operation.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed on Wednesday that the evacuation could not proceed as planned after cracks were discovered on the cockpit windscreen of the Air Peace aircraft in Johannesburg, prompting safety officials to halt the flight.

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In a statement issued by the ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, the government explained that the aircraft was grounded as a precautionary measure to ensure passenger safety.

According to the ministry, Air Peace has already concluded arrangements to deploy another aircraft to South Africa later on Wednesday to transport the affected Nigerians back home.

Ebienfa apologised to the passengers for the disruption, stressing that the decision to suspend the flight was taken strictly on safety grounds.

“We have a situation in Johannesburg regarding the fourth evacuation flight. The aircraft could not depart because cracks were discovered on the cockpit windscreen. Air Peace will deploy another aircraft later today to bring the returnees. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience,” the statement said.

The latest delay affects the fourth batch of Nigerians being evacuated from South Africa under the Federal Government’s ongoing repatriation programme.

Officials maintained that every necessary step was being taken to ensure the evacuation continues without compromising aviation safety standards, assuring the stranded passengers that the replacement aircraft would complete the operation as soon as possible.