Panic gripped passengers and onlookers at Murtala Muhammed International Airport on Friday night as a Qatar Airways aircraft carrying 248 passengers and 12 crew members was forced to make an emergency landing following a technical fault mid-flight.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) confirmed that the aircraft encountered a technical issue while airborne within Nigerian airspace, prompting immediate distress signals and the activation of the state’s emergency response plan.
In a statement signed by the agency’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, LASEMA said, “Following distress alerts received at the Command and Control Centre in Alausa, Ikeja, our emergency response teams were promptly deployed to the scene. The swift, coordinated action helped avert what could have been a major aviation disaster.”
Eyewitnesses described tense moments on the runway as emergency responders, including LASEMA personnel, LASAMBUS, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, prepared for a possible catastrophe.
“The pilot executed a safe landing on the runway at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport with LASEMA response teams on extreme high alert,” the report added. Passengers were subsequently evacuated without injury, and no casualties were recorded.
LASEMA noted that the aircraft was carefully inspected by the pilot and engineering crew before being moved to the apron for detailed checks and necessary repairs. The agency commended the professionalism of the flight crew, whose quick thinking ensured the safety of all on board.
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority also confirmed the incident. Spokesperson Michael Achimugu stated, “I can confirm that there was an air return. Details will be communicated later.”
The airline, however, had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.
LASEMA assured the public that the aircraft has been secured, recovery operations have concluded, and emergency teams remain prepared to respond to similar incidents.
