Osamagbe Imadiyi
On Thursday, a Boeing 787-8 operated by United Airlines that was departing Lagos for Washington Dulles declared an emergency and returned to Lagos via air.
According to information obtained, the aircraft crew kept the emergency transponder code 7700 (Emergency signal) with the control tower until the aircraft touched down after establishing a return route to Lagos.
The aircraft, registered N27903, is a widebody aircraft operating for United Airlines, a US airline, and was originally headed for Washington Dulles International Airport. It is more than 13 years old.
On board were three pilots, eight flight attendants, and 245 passengers. There have been reports of injuries to some of the passengers. Due to the flight’s unsteadiness, videos and images from the distraught passengers in the aircraft, revealed that food and luggage were strewn all over the place.
As of the time this report was filed, the true cause of the chaos was still unknown, but the passengers believe it was an engine problem. However, the true cause of such incidents can only be determined by the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau.
Michael Achimugu, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, confirmed the development when contacted, stating that the passengers were accommodated in a hotel in accordance with the regulatory act.
As required by the NCAA Act, he stated, “Yes, it is true, and there are no issues; the passengers have been lodged in a hotel.”
Additionally, the airline confirmed the development in a succinct statement, citing “a technical issue.”
“To fix a technical problem, flight UA613 from Lagos to Washington, D.C., returned to Lagos. First responders met the aircraft after it safely landed to handle reports of minor injuries to a number of passengers and crew members”, the statement read.
