A United Airlines flight, a Boeing 787-8 bound for Washington Dulles International Airport, declared an emergency mid-air on Thursday and made an air return to Lagos.
The flight, with the registration number N27903, was carrying 245 passengers, eight flight attendants, and three pilots. It departed from Murtala Muhammed International Airport but returned shortly after due to an unspecified technical issue.
Sources confirmed to Punch that the flight crew activated the emergency transponder code 7700, signalling distress to the control tower throughout its return.
The aircraft, over 13 years old, landed safely, but the shaky flight caused food and passengers’ belongings to scatter throughout the cabin. Some passengers and crew sustained minor injuries, though details remain unclear.
Videos and photos from onboard passengers show the aftermath of the turbulent flight, which they suspect was caused by an engine issue.
However, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) is expected to conduct an official investigation to determine the cause.
Micheal Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), confirmed the incident,
“Passengers have been lodged into a hotel as stipulated by the NCAA Act,” he said.
United Airlines also issued a statement attributing the emergency to a technical issue, adding, “After landing safely, the aircraft was met by first responders to address reports of minor injuries to several passengers and crew.”
Watch the video below:
Please thank God for me. Last night we had a harrowing experience on United flight fro. Lagos to Washington, DC. The plane was spiraling out of control, lost its navigational and other tools. We had gone past Abidjan, and were initially to make an emergency landing in Ghana pic.twitter.com/aKqTlUfCRL
— Benjamin Amaechi 2 (@2_amaechi) January 24, 2025
