A Nigerian airline captain and co-pilot tested positive for alcohol and a cabin crew member tested positive for cannabis after their Boeing 737 veered off the runway while landing at Port Harcourt International Airport in July, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) said.
All 103 people on board were unhurt in the incident. The NSIB screened the flight crew after the event and reported that laboratory tests detected Ethyl Glucuronide (EtG), a biomarker that indicates recent alcohol consumption, in both the captain and the co-pilot. A cabin crew member tested positive for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component of cannabis. The bureau said its investigation remains ongoing and it has recommended enhanced training and reinforcement of internal procedures.
Air Peace, the operator of the flight, said it had dismissed the 64-year-old captain for failing to adhere to safety regulations. The co-pilot, aged 28, has since returned to flying duties after being cleared by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), which gave him a clean bill of health following preliminary inquiries. Air Peace also said it had not received the NSIB's toxicology results more than a month after the incident and that crew testing for alcohol occurred less than an hour after the landing.
The dismissed captain had logged more than 18,000 hours of flying time, while the co-pilot had almost 1,200 hours, according to information released by the carrier. The NSIB has not yet issued final conclusions about the cause of the runway excursion and said further investigative work is under way before it publishes a full report.
Nigeria has not experienced a fatal passenger jet crash in several years, but aviation authorities and industry stakeholders have noted a series of landing incidents in which aircraft overshot runways or suffered tyre failures. Earlier in the month, aviation regulators opened a new flight data centre intended to improve monitoring and safety oversight. Industry participants say the centre is a step forward but that additional protective measures and updated technology are needed across the sector.
The NCAA's preliminary clearance of the co-pilot followed standard regulatory procedures that allow for individual assessment after an accident. The NSIB's detection of EtG differs from a direct blood-alcohol concentration measurement by indicating recent alcohol ingestion rather than quantifying intoxication at the time of the event; investigators will consider those findings alongside flight data, aircraft performance and crew statements.
The NSIB's recommendations, announced while its probe continues, emphasize stronger internal protocols and additional crew training. The airline said it would cooperate with the investigation and implement corrective measures as required. The final NSIB report, which will include the bureau's analysis and safety recommendations, has not yet been released.