A United Airlines flight bound for Washington Dulles International Airport in the United States was forced to make an emergency return to Lagos on Thursday after developing a technical fault mid-air.
The aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 with registration number N27903, departed Lagos for Washington, D.C., but declared an emergency shortly after takeoff, prompting the captain to turn back. The crew maintained the emergency transponder code 7700—an international distress signal—until the aircraft landed safely in Lagos.
The flight, designated UA613, had 245 passengers, 80 flight attendants, and three pilots on board. Several passengers reportedly sustained injuries due to the turbulence, with videos and images from inside the aircraft showing food trays and luggage scattered across the cabin.
While the exact cause of the emergency was yet to be officially determined, some passengers suspected an engine-related issue. The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) is expected to conduct a thorough investigation to ascertain the cause.
Confirming the incident, the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Michael Achimugu, assured that affected passengers had been accommodated in hotels in line with regulatory requirements.
“Yes, it is true, and no problems, the passengers have been lodged into a hotel as stipulated by the NCAA Act,” Achimugu said.
United Airlines also acknowledged the incident in a brief statement, attributing the emergency return to a “technical issue.”
“Flight UA613 from Lagos to Washington, D.C., returned to Lagos to address a technical issue. After landing safely, the aircraft was met by first responders to address reports of minor injuries to several passengers and crew,” the airline stated.
