- Safiu Kehinde
No fewer than 80 passengers and crew have escaped death by whiskers as a domestic flight of Arik Air made an emergency landing after suffering engine failure.
The Lagos-Port Harcourt-bound Arik Air Boeing 737 aircraft reportedly diverted to Benin after developing an engine problem midair.
This was confirmed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (nsib).
According to the NSIB, the aircraft, with registration number 5N MJF, was flying from Lagos to Port Harcourt when the incident happened.
Also confirming the development, the airline’s spokesperson, Adebanjo Ola, revealed that the crew detected an unusual noise from the left engine as the aircraft approached Port Harcourt airspace.
“The aircraft was on its descent to Port Harcourt when the operating crew heard a loud bang on the left engine. As a precautionary measure, the crew made a safe diversion to Benin.” He said.
According to reports, the precautionary diversion underscores standard aviation safety doctrine, which prioritises immediate risk mitigation when engine irregularities are detected mid-flight.
Adebanjo also confirmed that no casualties were recorded while apologising to affected passengers.
“We sincerely apologise to the affected Port Harcourt passengers whose journey has been disrupted. The safety and well-being of passengers is always our priority at Arik Air,” he said.