On Thursday, a United Airlines flight headed for Washington Dulles International Airport in the United States had to make an emergency return to Lagos due to a technical issue that arose in midair.
Shortly after takeoff, the Boeing 787-8, registered N27903, announced an emergency, forcing the captain to reverse course.
The plane had left Lagos for Washington, D.C. The crew kept the worldwide distress signal, emergency transponder code 7700, active until the plane made a safe landing in Lagos.
Three pilots, 80 flight attendants, and 245 passengers were on board the flight, which was registered UA613.
The turbulence apparently caused injuries to a number of passengers, and footage and pictures taken inside the aircraft revealed bags and food trays strewn all around the cabin.
Although the precise reason of the emergency has not yet been established, some passengers believed it was related to the engine. To determine the cause, a comprehensive investigation is anticipated from the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB).
Michael Achimugu, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority’s (NCAA) Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, confirmed the incident and guaranteed that the impacted passengers had been housed in hotels in compliance with the law.
“Yes, it is true, and no problems, the passengers have been lodged into a hotel as stipulated by the NCAA Act,” Achimugu said.
In a brief statement, United Airlines also admitted to the incident and blamed a “technical issue” for the emergency return.
“Flight UA613 from Lagos to Washington, D.C., returned to Lagos to address a technical issue. After landing safely, the aircraft was met by first responders to address reports of minor injuries to several passengers and crew,” the airline stated.