Aero says evacuation of passengers pursued safety standards

Aero Contractors Airlines said, on Monday, that the evacuation of passengers from one of its aircraft that caught fire on Sunday at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, followed globally recognized safety procedures.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that some passengers on the flight, from Port Harcourt to Lagos, continued injuries when the airline's Boeing 737 aircraft landed and caught fire.

The airline, in a report by its Media Consultant, Simon Tumba, said that the evacuation was carried out after the aircraft had landed securely in Lagos. "The evacuation was ordered by the captain following globally recognized safety actions after-on-board smoke detectors were activated," he said.

"We currently consider that this was due to dampness and warm air mixing in the cabin forming a smoke-like vapour. As the crew could not be 100 percent certain that the vapour was safe after landing, all the 84 passengers were evacuated to the tarmac where they were moved to the airport terminal in a bus."

Mr Tumba also added that Aero was in stable touch with the passengers, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, and other regulatory bodies in line with international operating procedure.