BREAKING: Air Peace Crew Tested Positive for Alcohol, Drugs — NSIB Report

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has indicted the pilot and co-pilot of an Air Peace flight for testing positive for alcohol and hard drugs following a serious runway incident at the Port Harcourt International Airport on July 13, 2025.

The findings were contained in a preliminary report released on Friday and signed by Mrs. Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji, Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance at the NSIB.

It will be recalled that the aircraft, a Boeing 737 operating a scheduled domestic flight from Lagos to Port Harcourt, veered off Runway 21 after an unstabilised final approach. The plane, carrying 103 passengers and crew, landed far beyond the recommended touchdown zone before coming to a halt 209 metres into the clearway. Fortunately, all on board disembarked safely, and no injuries were reported.

Crew Tested Positive

According to the report, toxicological screenings conducted at the Rivers State Hospital Management Department of Medical Laboratory confirmed that both the captain and first officer tested positive for ethyl glucuronide, an indicator of recent alcohol consumption.

Additionally, a cabin crew member tested positive for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive compound found in cannabis.

The bureau stressed that these results are being evaluated under the human performance and safety management aspects of the investigation, given their critical implications for aviation safety.

NSIB Issues Safety Recommendations

In light of the findings, the NSIB said it had issued immediate safety recommendations to Air Peace Limited. These include:

• Strengthening crew resource management training, especially in managing unstabilised approaches and go-around decisions.
• Reinforcing fitness-for-duty monitoring procedures before flight dispatch.

The report also noted that the incident has raised fresh concerns about intoxication as a factor in aviation mishaps, alongside known causes such as miscommunication, equipment failure, and runway defects.

The NSIB maintained that a full investigation is still ongoing and promised to release further updates as more details emerge.