248 Passengers escaped death on Friday night following Qatar Airways plane emergency landing in Lagos.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that no fewer than 248 passengers narrowly escaped tragedy on Friday night after a Qatar Airways aircraft developed a technical fault mid-air and was forced to make an emergency landing at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) confirmed that the aircraft, which was carrying 248 passengers and 12 crew members, encountered the fault while flying within Nigerian airspace, prompting distress alerts and an immediate emergency response.
In a preliminary report obtained by NewsOnline, LASEMA said it activated the state’s emergency response plan immediately after receiving the distress call through its 767/112 toll-free emergency lines.
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Emergency landings are typically initiated when unplanned technical faults occur during a flight, with pilots transmitting distress signals to the control tower for guidance to ensure a safe landing.
The report, signed by LASEMA’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, stated that distress alerts were received at the Command and Control Centre in Alausa, Ikeja, leading to the swift activation of emergency protocols.
The agency reassured the public of its preparedness to handle emergencies, noting 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.
According to LASEMA, its Lagos Response Team arrived at the scene to discover that the aircraft had already carried out 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 report stated.
The agency commended the pilot for his professionalism in safely landing the aircraft 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.
Following the landing, the aircraft was thoroughly inspected by the pilot and engineering crew before being moved to the apron for further checks and necessary repairs. All passengers were safely evacuated, with no injuries recorded.
LASEMA confirmed that no casualties were reported and that there was no significant damage to the aircraft.
Providing an update, the agency said the aircraft had been secured and recovery operations concluded.
“The aircraft has been secured on the apron, recovery activities have been completed, and the rescue operation has been safely concluded,” LASEMA said.
Emergency responders at the scene included LASEMA’s Command and Control Centre, LASAMBUS, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
The spokesperson of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Michael Achimugu, also confirmed the incident, stating in a WhatsApp message, “I can confirm that there was an air return. Details will be communicated later.”
As of the time of filing this report, Qatar Airways had yet to respond to enquiries sent to its country manager, Ken Chirchir.
