AFCON Qualifier: Pilot Speaks Out: Last-Minute Diversion of Super Eagles Aircraft

Clarifying the AFCON Qualifiers Flight Diversion Drama

“In aviation, we have our flight plan, we calculate the fuel to our destination...”

Pilot reveals hazardous conditions at Libya's Al-Abraq airport, prompting Nigeria's withdrawal from AFCON qualifier.

The pilot responsible for flying the Super Eagles to Libya for the AFCON qualifiers has shed light on the controversy surrounding the team's treatment.

The dispute began when the flight was redirected to Al-Abraq airport, a remote location, instead of Benghazi, the intended destination. This unexpected diversion sparked tensions between Nigerian and Libyan authorities.

According to the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), the diversion was a deliberate act. However, the Libyan Football Federation (LFF) countered that logistical issues, not mistreatment, caused the disruption.

The pilot's clarification aims to resolve the disagreement between the NFF and LFF, providing insight into the events surrounding the flight diversion.

The pilot revealed on Tuesday, October 15, that Libyan authorities instructed him to divert the Super Eagles' flight.

“The flight plan was to land at Benghazi, Benina, and we had the approval from the Libyan Civil Aviation Authority to do so,” the pilot said.

“However, when we began our descent, they instructed us to divert to Al-Abraq, which is almost 150 miles away, around 300 kilometres east. It wasn't even (listed as) our alternate airport, something which is not good,” he added.

The pilot expressed concerns over the diversion's safety, stating that fuel plans were based on Benghazi, making the Al-Abraq reroute potentially perilous.

“In aviation, we have our flight plan, we calculate the fuel to our destination, so we have to avoid this kind of thing because it may make a breach to safety,” he stated, adding that he repeatedly questioned the directive.

“When I asked to land in Benghazi according to my flight plan and according to my authorization, they said no, it's from the highest authority, you have to land in Al-Abraq.”

The pilot of the Super Eagles aircraft has come forward to refute claims that he made the decision to divert the flight, saying, “Everything is registered in aviation, we cannot hide anything, so I asked them several times, at least eight times, and I warned them, probably I will be in trouble for fuel; they said it's from highest authority, you cannot land in Benghazi, you have to divert immediately to Al-Abraq."

He emphasized that the diversion was not his decision, but rather an instruction from Libyan authorities. The pilot noted that all communications and authorizations regarding the flight are fully documented and can be presented as evidence if required. This clarification aims to address the controversy surrounding the diversion, which sparked tensions between Nigerian and Libyan authorities.

He said, “The truth was we were going to Benghazi, and I can show you the evidence of the approval, I have it. But at the last minute, they changed their mind and changed the airport.”

The pilot highlighted the challenges of landing at Al-Abraq, a basic domestic airport lacking adequate facilities to handle flights of such magnitude.

“There is no ILS (Instrument Landing System), no air navigation approach, no VHR (VHF Omnidirectional Range). We had to make a visual landing, which is particularly difficult by night with marginal weather.”

The pilot emphasized that Al-Abraq's substandard facilities eliminated any room for error, making a successful landing crucial, with no opportunity for a second attempt.

Due to the airport's limited infrastructure, the pilot had to rely on his extensive experience, garnered from two years of working in the region with a Tunisian company, to execute a precise and safe landing.

“It was not an easy matter at all. When a pilot hears this, he will understand that it was not an easy thing to land under such conditions. Thank God we made it safely,” he said.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has retaliated by pulling the Super Eagles out of their forthcoming qualifier match against Libya.

“Players have resolved not to play the match any longer, and NFF officials are making plans to fly the team back home,” the statement said.