The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced that the Super Eagles’ arrival in Uyo for Tuesday’s FIFA World Cup qualifying clash against Benin Republic has been delayed due to a technical issue with their aircraft.
According to the NFF, the ValueJet chartered flight conveying the team and officials from Polokwane, South Africa, to Uyo developed a cracked windscreen mid-air shortly after taking off from a refueling stop in Luanda, Angola.
The pilot promptly returned the plane to the Luanda airport and landed safely, reports Sunday Trust.
The same aircraft had earlier flown members of the delegation to Polokwane on Thursday night, arriving there on Friday morning.
It had also made similar refueling stops in Luanda during previous trips, including last month’s journey to and from Bloemfontein for the Matchday 8 encounter against South Africa.
Efforts are currently underway to resolve the situation.
ValueJet Airline, in collaboration with the Federal Government of Nigeria — including the Ministers of Aviation and Foreign Affairs, as well as the Chief of Staff to the President — is working to secure overflight and landing permits for another aircraft to travel from Lagos to Luanda, pick up the delegation, and transport them to Uyo as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, the Benin Republic team has arrived Uyo ahead of the final qualifier on Tuesday.
