A United Airlines flight, UA613, heading from Lagos to Washington, D.C., declared an emergency and returned to Murtala Muhammed International Airport following a mid-air technical fault that left several passengers and crew with injuries.
The Boeing 787-8 aircraft, carrying 245 passengers, eight flight attendants, and three pilots, encountered a sudden loss of cabin pressure while flying over Ivory Coast airspace.
One passenger, speaking anonymously, described the frightening experience: “We had just unfastened our seatbelts after being served meals when the plane suddenly dropped. I hit my head on the ceiling and lost consciousness for a while. The descent happened three times, causing chaos and injuries.”
Initially, the pilot announced plans to divert to Ghana but ultimately decided to return to Lagos after spending four hours in the air.
Confirming the incident, United Airlines spokesperson Linden Birns stated, “Flight UA613 returned to Lagos due to a technical issue. After a safe landing, first responders attended to reports of minor injuries among passengers and crew.”