A Qatar Airways aircraft heading to Doha was forced to return to Lagos on Friday after developing a technical problem midair.
Gatekeepers News reports that the airline confirmed that flight QR 1406, which departed from Lagos, made an unscheduled landing at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport after an issue was detected during the flight.
In a statement, Qatar Airways said the aircraft made an unplanned return to Lagos due to a technical issue that occurred in flight, adding that the cockpit crew followed established procedures and landed the aircraft safely.
Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) also confirmed the incident, stating that the aircraft was carrying 248 passengers and 12 crew members when the fault occurred while it was still within Nigerian airspace. This prompted the pilot to declare an emergency and return to Lagos as a precaution.
According to LASEMA, emergency alerts were received through its 767/112 toll-free lines, after which response teams were immediately dispatched from the agency’s command and control centre in Ikeja.
The agency said responders arrived at the airport and confirmed that the aircraft had carried out a forced landing due to technical issues.
It said, “Upon arrival of LRT at the incident scene, it was discovered that a passenger aircraft was distressed and had conducted a forced landing at the aforementioned location.”
“Preliminary investigations conducted by the Agency’s Response Teams revealed the immediate cause of the incident was due to technical issues suffered by the distressed aircraft.”
LASEMA added that the pilot successfully landed the aircraft on the runway with emergency teams on standby, while coordinated efforts were made by relevant agencies to ensure safety.
Responders included LASEMA officials, LASAMBUS, the Lagos State fire and rescue service, and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.
After initial safety checks by the flight crew and engineers, the aircraft was moved to the apron for further inspection and necessary repairs. LASEMA confirmed that all passengers were safely evacuated, with no injuries or loss of life recorded.
The agency said, “All passengers of the distressed aeroplane were evacuated safely; no injuries reported. No loss of lives nor injuries sustained by anyone due to the operation.”
Reacting to the incident, Michael Achimugu, director of public affairs and consumer protection at Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), said in a post on X on Saturday that there was no runway incursion or excursion and that there was no crash landing.
He further explained that most of the passengers have continued their journeys, while others were lodged in hotels and are being rebooked on alternative flights as arrangements continue.
