A United Airlines flight from Lagos to Washington, D.C., was forced to make an emergency landing in Lagos after developing a technical fault mid-air.
The Boeing 787-8 aircraft, which had 245 passengers and 11 crew members on board, landed safely at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) at 03:22.
According to a passenger who wished to remain anonymous, the incident happened after the passengers unfastened their seatbelts.
“We had already been served our meals when the plane lost pressure and dropped. We noticed a sharp descent. I hit my head on the ceiling because of the impact,” the passenger said.
Four passengers and two crew members sustained serious injuries, while 27 passengers and five crew members had minor injuries. The injured were rushed to nearby hospitals, including the Duchess Hospital in Ikeja.
The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) said its rescue team responded swiftly and effectively, having been on alert and standby just four minutes after the pilot reported distress.
United Airlines clarified that the flight 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 said.
An investigation into the incident has commenced with FAAN promising to provide updates as they become available.
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