The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) had on July 12, 2023 suspended the Max Air’s B737 aircraft operations, citing contamination of Jet A1 fuel, amongst other reasons.
However , Nigeria’s indigenous petroleum supplier, Octavus has denied the allegations in the involvement in the supply of adulterated Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) , also known as Jet A1 to Max Air.
NCAA has mentioned in its letter that Fuel Contamination of the main fuel tanks of aircraft B737-300, Registration Marks; 5N-MHM, led to the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) shutdown on ground Yola Airport on the 7th of July, 2023.
Matter has been further escalated and Nigerian House of Representatives said , it is concerned about the ominous danger, considering the life and death situation involved, adding that the incident will be probed.
Meanwhile, the development also forced the authority to alert airlines on the risk and hazard involved, requesting they double check for adulterated fuel.
However, in a statement made available to Vanguard by the company’s General Manager, Mr. Peter Dia, he denied these claims, stating that they are unfounded and ill-intentioned.
Expressing readiness to cooperation with the investigation, he said that the company is commitment to product integrity and reputation, as well as adherence to international standards and industry best practices in fuel supply and distribution. He added further,
“We exclusively sources for products from trusted partners such as the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, NNPC, Limited and British Petroleum, BP.
“There was no evidence that linked the fuel supplied to the reported occurrences. Octavus is dedication to ensuring the safe and timely delivery of high-quality aviation fuels.
"It is essential to highlight that we handle about 100 flights per day, approximately one flight every 10 minutes, with no reported complaints about the quality of our products.
“We successfully fueled approximately 90 percent of Max Air’s Hajj flights in the past without any issues. We have extensive experience in handling a high volume of flights daily, with no reported complaints about the quality of its products.
“We were nominated by the Airlines Operators of Nigeria (AON) to handle the NNPC intervention cargoes during a fuel crisis five times last year, which demonstrated the trust placed in their brand.
“The importance of conducting a comprehensive investigation to determine the root cause of the incidents can not be overemphasised. We will cooperation with the NCAA and other relevant authorities in conducting a thorough inquiry.
“As a responsible corporate entity, we vow to leave no stone unturned in ascertaining the truth behind the allegations. We also pledge to work closely with regulatory bodies to uphold safety and integrity in the aviation sector.”
As mentioned earlier, the suspension on Max Air B737 Fleet operations had been enforced after some of the airline’s aircraft were involved in a series of incidents, one of which showed the moment water was being drained from one of the airline’s planes while on ground in Yola.
Related News.....
