Air Peace has refuted reports linking its crew to alcohol use in the July 13, 2025 incident at Port Harcourt International Airport, insisting that it has not received any official findings from the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB).
In a statement on Friday, the airline described the reports as misleading, noting that immediate alcohol tests were conducted on the crew within an hour of the incident but no results have been formally communicated.
“As a responsible airline, we prioritise safety, transparency and compliance. To date, we have not received any official communication from the NSIB on such findings,” the airline said.
Air Peace confirmed that the captain of the affected flight was immediately grounded for disregarding standard go-around procedures and failing to observe Crew Resource Management (CRM) principles. It stressed, however, that the decision was unrelated to alcohol use. The First Officer, who called for a go-around, was praised for professionalism and has since been cleared by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to resume flying.
The airline added that if any official confirmation of alcohol use emerges, it will intensify crew testing, strengthen Fitness-for-Duty checks, and expand monitoring.
Meanwhile, the NSIB’s preliminary report on Thursday revealed that the Air Peace Boeing 737-524, carrying 103 passengers and crew from Lagos, landed long after an unstabilised approach, stopping 209 metres into the clearway. No injuries were recorded. The bureau also disclosed that initial toxicology tests showed some crew members tested positive for alcohol, while one cabin crew member tested positive for THC, the psychoactive element in cannabis.
The findings are still under review as part of the bureau’s human performance and safety management considerations.
