The engine of an Overland Airways plane with a four-member flight crew caught fire midair on Wednesday.

The incident was confirmed in a statement by the Overland Airways on Wednesday.

The 37 passengers ATR 42 was en-route Ilorin-Lagos when the plane developed a fault, prompting the pilot to send an airway distress signal (Mayday) to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport control tower which enabled him land safely amid fully prepared airport emergency response team.

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The statement read in part, “Overland Airways wishes to inform the general public that its flight OF1188 from Ilorin to Lagos experienced an unusual high turbine temperature on one of its engines today, Wednesday, June 15, 2022 around 7:50pm.

“This occurred in the approach phase of flight and the aircraft landed very safely as the crew skillfully implemented their standard procedures for such abnormal situations.

“All 33 passengers remained calm through the process and safely disembarked row by row in accordance with post-COVID-19 procedures after the aircraft came to a halt on the Murtala Mohammed International Airport Lagos runway 18 Right. No passenger was hurt in any way.

“Overland Airways salutes the professional interventions of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and the Accident Investigation Bureau Nigeria (AIB-N) which were very prompt and reassuring.

“Overland Airways regrets any inconvenience to its passengers and assures the travelling public of its full commitment to the safety of its services and passengers.”