Passengers Hurt as US-Bound Plane Develops Issue Mid-Air, Returns to Lagos
- A United Airlines flight from Lagos to Washington Dulles declared an emergency mid-flight, forcing a return to Lagos with injuries reported among passengers
- The Boeing 787-8, carrying 245 passengers and 11 crew members, experienced turbulence, causing food and luggage to scatter within the cabin
- United Airlines attributed the incident to a “technical issue,” and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority confirmed passengers were lodged in a hotel post-landing
A United Airlines flight en route from Lagos to Washington Dulles International Airport declared an emergency mid-flight on Thursday, forcing the Boeing 787-8 aircraft to return to Lagos.
The flight, registered as N27903 and carrying 245 passengers, three pilots, and eight flight attendants, experienced turbulence that left some passengers and crew with minor injuries.
Authorities have launched an investigation to uncover the root cause of the issue. Image: GettySource: Getty Images
The emergency began with the crew transmitting the transponder code 7700, signaling distress to air traffic control. Upon safely landing back in Lagos, videos and photos shared by passengers showed food and luggage strewn across the cabin, evidence of the flight’s turbulence. While the cause of the emergency is yet to be confirmed, many passengers speculated it was an engine-related issue.
NCAA responds to distress signals
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) responded to the incident, ensuring passengers were accommodated in a hotel as required by aviation regulations. Micheal Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection for the NCAA, stated:
“Passengers have been lodged in a hotel as stipulated by the NCAA Act.”
Technical issue cause of malfunction
United Airlines, in a brief statement, attributed the air return to a “technical issue.” The airline added, “After landing safely, the aircraft was met by first responders to address reports of minor injuries to several passengers and crew.”
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) is expected to investigate the incident to determine the exact cause of the emergency.
The over 13-year-old aircraft is part of United Airlines’ fleet of widebody planes, designed for long-haul international routes.
Plane crashes after being entangled in power lines
Earlier this year, TheTalk.NG reported that authorities in Independence County confirmed on January 13 that the pilot involved in a Sunday afternoon plane crash had died.
The tragic incident occurred around 3 pm when a single-engine plane crashed after becoming entangled in power lines in a wooded area five miles north of Batesville.
Officials from the Independence County Sheriff’s Office reported that local search teams discovered the wreckage. The pilot’s identity has not been released at this time.
Aeroplane crashes, kills three people in Kenya
TheTalk.NG also reported that a light aircraft crash-landed on January 10 in Kenya’s coastal Malindi County, resulting in the deaths of three people on the ground, local police officials reported.
The tragic event reportedly occurred in Kwachocha along the Malindi-Mombasa highway, with fatalities including one person who died when the plane burst into flames on impact.
Additionally, a motorcycle rider and a female passenger lost their lives when debris from the separated wings and tail of the plane struck them as the aircraft crashed into a building.
Source: TheTalk.NG
