A United Airlines
airplane from Lagos Airport
, Nigeria, to Washington Dulles International Airport
in Virginia was forced to make an emergency return to Lagos on Thursday due to an unexpected in-flight movement that caused many injuries.
Passengers panic as food and trays scatter across cabin
UA613, which carried 245 passengers, eight flight attendants, and three pilots, took off from Lagos at 23:59 local time on Thursday, January 23. An unexpected shock occurred in the aircraft about 93 minutes into the journey, causing chaos throughout the cabin. Passengers’ video footage shows dishes, food, and other belongings spilling across the floor as they react to the unexpected movement.
Flight data from FlightRadar24 showed that the aircraft started a sudden fall from cruising altitude, dropping more than 1,000 feet in a short amount of time, at about 93 minutes after takeoff. The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) reported that the aircraft returned to Lagos at 03:22 after the pilot sent out a distress signal at 01:20. Flight UA613 made a safe landing at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, where emergency personnel were waiting at gate D31.
Authorities investigating
According to FAAN’s statement, at least 38 passengers and crew members were injured, including four passengers and two crew members who sustained “serious injuries,” while an additional 27 passengers and five crew members had minor injuries.
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying
“The FAAN medical team, led by a very senior management staff was present and prepared, alongside the firefighting team, well before the aircraft touched down in MMA. Also, the medical team were in direct communication with the pilot prior to the aircraft’s landing in Lagos. This can be verified with the airline and other stakeholders who were present to receive the returning aircraft.” FAAN responded on social media X on Saturday to comments on the delayed arrival of the medical team.
A passenger claimed that “we had to wait for medical personnel who took forever to come to the plane.“
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In a statement provided to Simple Flying, a United Airlines spokesperson confirmed that four passengers and two crew members sustained injuries during the incident. The airline stated that the injured were immediately taken to a nearby hospital, where they received treatment.
The spokesperson said, “Our flight from Lagos, Nigeria to Washington D.C. returned to Lagos after a technical issue and an unexpected aircraft movement. It landed safely in Lagos and four passengers and two flight attendants were seen at a hospital for minor injuries and have been released. We are working with aviation authorities in the U.S. and Nigeria to understand the cause.“
Photo: Vincenzo Pace I Simple Flying
CNN reported that United Airlines has ruled out turbulence as a factor. Despite that, the cause of the unexpected in-flight movement remains unclear. Michael Achimugu, the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at Nigeria’s Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), confirmed the incident via state-run Radio Nigeria, emphasizing that there were no fatalities. He also mentioned that passengers had been provided accommodation in hotels, according to Radio Nigeria.
Twice in the same week
The Boeing 787-8
involved in the incident, registered as N27903, was manufactured in 2012 and is part of the airline’s long-haul fleet, according to Planespotters.net. The same plane was diverted earlier in the week on Monday, January 20, because of a similar sudden drop, FlightAware data showed. On the same route from Lagos to Dulles, the aircraft apparently dropped 1,000 feet approximately 89 minutes into the trip. The plane was diverted to Accra, Ghana.
Photo: BriYYZ | Shutterstock
As of Saturday, January 25, the aircraft N27903 remains grounded in Lagos as investigations into the recurring altitude issues continue. Although it is yet unknown if the two events are connected, the frequent abrupt changes in altitude have highlighted the possible mechanical issues with this specific aircraft.