Tension and fear gripped passengers aboard an Arik Air Boeing 737 flight on Wednesday, February 11, when the aircraft suffered a suspected engine failure mid-air, forcing an emergency diversion to Benin Airport in Nigeria.
The flight, registered 5N-MJF and operating as W3 740 from Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos to Port Harcourt International Airport, was descending toward its destination when the left engine reportedly emitted a loud bang, prompting alarm in the cabin and causing several passengers to pray aloud.
According to a statement from Arik Air’s Corporate Communications Manager, Adebanji Ola, the crew immediately initiated safety protocols after hearing the sound of the engine malfunction.
With abnormal engine indications showing on the flight instruments, the pilots shut down the affected engine as a precautionary measure and diverted to the nearest suitable airport — Benin Airport — to ensure the safety of everyone onboard.
The Boeing 737 landed safely at Benin Airport, where all 80 passengers and crew disembarked without injury.
Arik Air confirmed that arrangements have been made to transport the affected passengers onward to Port Harcourt to complete their journey, and issued an apology for the disruption.
“The safety and well-being of passengers is always our priority,” the airline said.
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has since launched a formal investigation into the incident, describing what occurred as an in-flight engine anomaly.
NSIB Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance, Mrs. Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji, said preliminary visual assessments at Benin Airport revealed significant damage to the affected engine, and a specialist team is being deployed to secure the aircraft, collect evidence, interview crew and witnesses, and recover data from the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder.
Under international aviation standards, the NSIB will produce a preliminary report within 30 days, followed by a comprehensive final report when the investigation concludes.
The agency is working closely with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Arik Air, and other stakeholders to reconstruct the sequence of events and determine any contributing factors.
Aviation experts note that diversions like this, while rare, are standard procedure when there is even a suspicion of technical irregularity in flight, reflecting the industry’s strict safety culture that prioritises passenger lives above scheduling or operational convenience.
Further updates are expected as investigators analyse the engine and flight data to identify the root cause of the anomaly and recommend measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
FOLLOW NAIROBI NEWS ON FACEBOOK
