Nigeria's largest airline, Air Peace, has said the captain involved in the Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo International Airport, Omagwa in Port Harcourt incident had been grounded and relieved from further flight duty.
This came as the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, NSIB, said preliminary investigation into the incident, involving its Boeing 737-524 aircraft, with nationality and registration marks 5N-BQQ, showed that "initial toxicological tests conducted on the flight crew revealed positive results for certain substances, including indicators of alcohol consumption. A cabin crew member also tested positive for THC, the psychoactive component in cannabis."
However, in a statement, Air Peace clarified that the captain was suspended for failing to adhere to Crew Resource Management, CRM, principles and for disregarding standard go-around procedures despite advice from his co-pilot, not for testing positive on a breathalyser, as the NSIB had yet to formally communicate such a result to the airline.
According to Air Peace, it conducts frequent alcohol and drug tests on its crew due to its "very strict alcohol use policy that is stricter than the eight hours before the flight as provided in the regulations. Drug use is a no-no."
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The statement by the airline's management also revealed that "the First Officer, co-pilot, who demonstrated professionalism in calling for a go-around to his captain, has been reinstated into active flying duties, with full approval from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA."
The statement reads: "Air Peace conducts frequent alcohol and drug tests on our crew. We have a very strict alcohol use policy that is stricter than the 8 hours before the flight as provided in the regulations. Drug use is a no-no.
"Following the incident, we took immediate and decisive action: the captain of the affected flight was grounded and relieved from further flight duty to date for failure to adhere to Crew Resource Management, CRM, principles and for disregarding standard go-around procedures as advised by his co-pilot but not for testing positive to breathalyser test as the result was not communicated to us by NSIB to date.
"Contrary to reports in the media, the First Officer (co-pilot), who demonstrated professionalism in calling for a go-around to his captain, has been reinstated into active flying duties, with full approval from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA. The NCAA cleared him. If he was involved in drug or alcohol use, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority would not have cleared him to resume flight duties.
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"However, if the relieved captain tested positive to the breathalyzer test, then we must increase the frequency of our alcohol and drug tests on our crew.
"Again, the importance of Enhanced Crew Resource Management Training can not be over emphasised. We will intensify strict Fitness-for-Duty checks and Stronger Internal Monitoring to prevent any breach of our zero-tolerance safety policy.
"Air Peace has consistently maintained a strong safety record and strictly implements global best practices in all aspects of its operations, and we reassure our esteemed passengers and the Nigerian public that safety will never be compromised in Air Peace."
