A Triton Aviation CL60 jet (registration T7‑SEI, flight DWC052) lost a door moments after taking off from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) in Abuja at about 16:20 UTC on Thursday, forcing the crew to issue a Mayday distress call and return for an emergency landing. The aircraft, bound for Lagos’s Murtala Muhammed Airport, was climbing through roughly 3,000 ft and three nautical miles from the runway when the door opened in flight.
**What happened after the Mayday call?**
The crew informed air‑traffic control of the door opening, and the approach controller instructed the plane to turn back to Abuja. Fire‑watch and medical teams were placed on standby, while emergency crews positioned themselves at points A4 and A5 in preparation for the aircraft’s return.
**When did the aircraft land?**
At 16:29 UTC the crew asked controllers to confirm whether the door was still open. The controller attempted a visual check with binoculars but could not see the door due to the aircraft’s position, and reported the inability to verify the condition. The jet touched down safely on Runway 22 at approximately 16:34 UTC, 14 minutes after the initial Mayday transmission.
**What was observed on the ground?**
After landing, the duty controller noted that the door was missing from the fuselage, confirming the seriousness of the incident. The aircraft was taxied to the international apron extension and parked with the help of a marshaller, who was sighted by the crew at about 16:40 UTC.
**Has the missing door been found?**
A video that went viral online shows farmers in an Abuja farmland holding the detached door. A male voice in the clip, whose identity was not verified, says the door fell from a plane and was handed over for investigation.
**Who is responding to the incident?**
The number of passengers aboard remains unknown, and Triton Aviation could not be reached for comment. Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the [Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA)](https://www.ncaa.gov.ng), confirmed the event but declined further remarks, noting that the matter falls under the jurisdiction of the [Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB)](https://nsib.gov.ng). The NSIB has deployed investigators to the scene and said an official statement will be released shortly.
**What are the next steps?**
Investigators from the NSIB will examine the aircraft, the missing door and any contributing factors. The incident is being treated as a serious safety event, and further findings will be communicated to the public in due course.