Qatar Airways flight makes emergency return to Lagos after technical fault

A Qatar Airways flight on Friday night was forced to make an emergency air return to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, following a technical fault shortly after takeoff.

Airport sources told our correspondent on Saturday that the pilot alerted Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs) of a mechanical problem a few minutes after departure and requested an emergency landing, which was promptly granted.

The aircraft was carrying 260 persons on board, comprising 248 passengers and 12 crew members. Qatar Airways operates Boeing 787-800 and 787-900 aircraft on its Doha–Lagos route.

While the exact cause of the technical fault had not been ascertained as of the time of filing this report, the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Mr. Michael Achimugu, confirmed the incident.

“I can confirm there was an air return. Details will be communicated later,” Achimugu said.

Also a source at the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) also confirmed the occurrence, describing it as a serious incident.

However, no official statement has been released from the bureau as of press time.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) said it received distress alerts through its 767 and 112 toll-free emergency lines regarding the aircraft.

In a statement signed by LASEMA’s Director-General, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the agency said its response teams were immediately deployed to the airport.

“Upon arrival, it was discovered that a passenger aircraft had declared an emergency and conducted a forced landing at the airport,” the statement said.

According to LASEMA, preliminary investigations indicated that the aircraft experienced technical issues while airborne within Nigerian airspace, prompting the emergency landing in Lagos.

All passengers were safely evacuated, and no injuries were reported. LASEMA noted that the aircraft did not sustain any significant damage during the incident.

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