Tension As Max Air Aircraft Tyre ‘Explodes’ In Kano

Tensions erupted at the Mallam Aminu International Airport in Kano on Tuesday night after a Max Air aircraft, registered as 5N-MBD and carrying 53 passengers, experienced a tyre burst.

A passenger who spoke to newsmen on the development said the incident occurred at 22:57 during the aircraft’s landing.

The passenger who spoke to The PUNCH noted that the flight had departed from Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos en route to Kano.

Fortunately, all passengers were safely evacuated from the aircraft without sustaining injuries.

Reports indicate that the aircraft may have lost the tyre of its nose landing gear upon landing, which contributed to the incident.

At the time of this report, no representatives from the airline were available for comment.

Also, attempts by journalists to contact officials from the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report, as calls and text messages to the agency’s spokesperson reportedly went unanswered.

Meanwhile, a passenger aircraft caught fire at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, South Korea, on Tuesday night, forcing the emergency evacuation of all 176 people on board.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Air Busan plane was preparing for departure to Hong Kong when flames were spotted at the tail section around 10:30 p.m. local time (1330 GMT).

Emergency responders swiftly mobilized as 169 passengers and seven crew members were evacuated down inflatable slides.

While most passengers escaped unhurt, one person sustained minor injuries, although no further details were provided.

The cause of the fire remains undetermined, and Busan’s fire authorities have yet to release an official statement.

The incident comes just weeks after South Korea’s deadliest aviation disaster in recent years, when a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 crash-landed at Muan International Airport on December 29, 2024.

That tragedy resulted in 179 fatalities after the aircraft slammed into a concrete barrier and exploded.