Hajj: Woman sneaks onto Jeddah-bound plane

The source, which was among the 522 pilgrims airlifted from Gombe Airport by Max Air said they arrived Jeddah airport sometime around 12 (Saudi time) on Thursday. It said because of the woman they could not leave the airport until Friday, sometime after 1am. She said the woman explained that she escorted a pilgrim and […]

The source, which was among the 522 pilgrims airlifted from Gombe Airport by Max Air said they arrived Jeddah airport sometime around 12 (Saudi time) on Thursday. It said because of the woman they could not leave the airport until Friday, sometime after 1am. She said the woman explained that she escorted a pilgrim and found herself in the aircraft, saying that before she could get out, the aircraft took off.
However, confirming the incident, Max Air spokesperson, Ibrahim Dahiru said the woman was brought back to Nigeria in the same aircraft. Ibrahim said the woman did not sneak in. “She lost her passport on the plane,” he said, adding there was no way she could have beaten security.
He said that after she was deported back to Nigeria, the authority found her passport and other documents in the aircraft. The Gombe Pilgrims Welfare Board confirmed the incident, pointing out that the woman revealed later that she was not a pilgrim. The authority said that was their first experience as only pilgrims are allowed to go near the aircraft.