The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), on Wednesday, announced that it has suspended the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) of Dana Airlines with effect immediately amidst safety concerns.

The directive is contained in a letter issued and endorsed by the NCAA Acting Director General, Chris Najomo, in Abuja.

It said the action was based on “elevated safety concerns” posed by the airline.

“As a precautionary step, and in accordance with Sec 31 (7) of the Civil Aviation Act 2022, the Authority has imposed a suspension on your Air Operator Certificate (AOC) with effect from 24″ April, 2024 at 23:59 to allow for a thorough safety and economic audit,” the letter partly read.

The airline suspension came less than 48 hours after an aircraft (MD82 with registration marks 5SN-BKI) belonging to Dana Air experienced a runway incursion on Tuesday upon landing at the domestic wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos from Abuja.

According to the airline, all the 83 passengers and crew members aboard the aircraft were evacuated safely.

“We are relieved to confirm that all 83 passengers and crew onboard the flight disembarked safely without injuries or fear as the crew handled the situation with utmost professionalism,” the airline said, adding that the country’s investigation Bureau and NCAA have been properly briefed about the incident.

Meanwhile, this is the second time within two years that the NCAA would suspend the airline’s AOC over safety violations.

In 2022, the airline’s operation was halted after the outcome of a financial and economic health audit carried out on the airline by the regulatory authority came out negative.

According to the NCAA at the time, the findings of an investigation conducted on the airline’s flight operations revealed that Dana Airlines was no longer in a position to meet its financial obligations and conduct safe flight operations.

Investigations

In its first reaction on Tuesday following the runway incursion incident, the NCAA said in accordance with statutory procedures, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has commenced its investigation on the incident.

On Wednesday, the authority said it was awaiting the preliminary report of the investigation launched by NSIB.

“While the NSIB is conducting the safety investigation, the NCAA has initiated an in-house compliance assessment of this occurrence taking into account previous occurrences involving DANA Air aircraft. This is in a bid to establish any trend which must be nipped in the bud in the interest of the safety and well-being of our citizens and travellers, ” the NCAA said.

“Furthermore, the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development in sharing the concerns of the Authority has thrown his weight behind the need for swift measures to be taken to address pertinent safety and economic issues that may underpin some of these occurrences.

“The safety audit will entail a re-inspection of your organisation, procedures, personnel, and aircraft as specified by Part 1.3.3.3 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations, while the economic audit will critically examine the financial health of your airline to guarantee its capability to sustain safe flight operations” it concluded.