The plane, en route from Lagos (Nigeria) to Washington Dulles (United States), had to turn around after a sudden loss of altitude mid-flight. Six people were injured, but fortunately, none required prolonged hospitalization, our CNN colleagues report.
Four passengers and two crew members were injured Friday when a United Airlines flight from Lagos, Nigeria, to Washington Dulles, Virginia, experienced a sudden and unexpected movement mid-flight. According to United Airlines, the incident is not linked to severe turbulence, and the exact origin remains to be determined.
In a statement, the airline’s spokesperson confirmed that the plane made an emergency landing in Lagos. The injured were taken to hospital for examinations and have since been released. The flight carried 245 passengers, eight crew members and three pilots.
Chaotic images captured on board
Videos taken by passengers showed meal trays, food and other items scattered across the floor of the plane, reflecting the impact of the crash. The Director of Public Affairs of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nigeria, Michael Achimugu, told Radio Nigeria that no deaths were reported. He also said the passengers were accommodated in hotels after the incident.
-A precedent for this device
According to data from FlightRadar24, the incident occurred approximately 93 minutes after takeoff, with a steep descent from cruising altitude. This same plane had already been hijacked on Tuesday during a similar flight between Lagos and Washington, where a rapid descent of 1,000 feet was recorded. It is unclear whether these two incidents are related.
The aircraft involved is a Boeing 787, a model which had already been the subject of an inspection by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) after another incident last March. In this case, a faulty pilot’s seat caused the plane to descend abruptly. Boeing then issued a recommendation to airlines operating the 787 to check cockpit seat mechanisms.
Ongoing investigations
United Airlines said it was working with aviation authorities in the United States and Nigeria to elucidate the causes of this incident. In the meantime, the company is working to reroute passengers to their intended destinations.
