A Qatar Airways aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, after developing a technical fault mid-air.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) confirmed the incident in a statement, noting that the aircraft was carrying 248 passengers and 12 crew members when it encountered the problem while flying within Nigerian airspace. The situation triggered distress alerts and an immediate emergency response.
According to a preliminary report by the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the agency swiftly activated the state’s emergency response plan upon receiving the distress call through its 767/112 toll-free emergency lines.
“Following distress alerts received at the Command and Control Centre in Alausa, Ikeja, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency promptly activated the State’s Emergency Response Plans,” Oke-Osanyintolu said.
He reassured members of the public of the agency’s preparedness, stressing that the prompt and coordinated response helped avert what could have been a major aviation disaster.
Eyewitnesses at the airport described tense moments as emergency responders lined the runway, while passengers on board braced for the unexpected landing.
LASEMA disclosed that on arrival at the scene, its Lagos Response Team confirmed that the aircraft had already conducted a forced landing due to technical issues.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the immediate cause of the incident was technical issues suffered by the distressed aircraft,” the agency stated.
The agency commended the pilot for his professionalism and calm handling of the situation, successfully landing the aircraft safely while emergency teams remained on extreme high alert.
“The pilot executed a safe landing on the runway at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport with LASEMA response teams and other emergency responders on standby,” the statement added.
After landing, the aircraft was thoroughly inspected by the pilot and engineering crew before being taxied to the apron for further checks and necessary repairs. All passengers were safely evacuated, with no injuries or casualties recorded.
“All passengers of the distressed aircraft were evacuated safely, and no casualties were reported,” LASEMA confirmed.
The agency further disclosed that there was no significant damage to the aircraft and that recovery operations had been successfully concluded.
“The aircraft has been secured on the apron, recovery activities have been completed, and the rescue operation has been safely concluded,” the statement read.
Emergency responders at the scene included officials from LASEMA’s Command and Control Centre, LASAMBUS, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
Meanwhile, the spokesperson of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Michael Achimugu, also confirmed the incident.
“I can confirm that there was an air return. Details will be communicated later,” he stated.
