A Qatar Airways flight experienced an emergency return to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos on Friday night due to a technical issue just moments after takeoff.
Sources from the airport informed our correspondent on Saturday that the pilot communicated with Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs) regarding a mechanical malfunction shortly after departure and sought permission for an emergency landing, which was quickly approved.
The aircraft had a total of 260 individuals aboard, including 248 passengers and 12 crew members. Qatar Airways operates Boeing 787-800 and 787-900 aircraft on its route connecting Doha and Lagos.
Although the specific cause of the technical problem has not been determined at the time of this report, Mr. Michael Achimugu, the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), confirmed the event.
Achimugu stated, "I can confirm there was an air return. Further information will be provided later."
A representative from the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) also acknowledged the incident, categorizing it as serious. However, no formal statement has been released by the bureau at this time.
In addition, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) reported that they received distress signals via their 767 and 112 emergency lines concerning the aircraft.
According to a statement from LASEMA's Director-General, Dr. Olufemi Oke- Osanyintolu, response teams were dispatched to the airport immediately.
"Upon reaching the scene, it was found that a passenger aircraft had declared an emergency and made a forced landing at the airport," the agency reported.
Preliminary investigations by LASEMA indicated that the airplane encountered technical issues while flying within Nigerian airspace, leading to the necessity for an emergency landing back in Lagos.
Fortunately, all passengers were safely evacuated, and no injuries were reported, with LASEMA stating that the aircraft did not incur any major damage during the occurrence.
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