245 passengers, eight flight attendants, and three pilots escaped certain death as a Boeing 787-8, belonging to United Airlines flight, flying from Lagos to Washington declared an emergency and made an air return to Lagos on Thursday.
According to a PUNCH report, the aircraft crew having established a return track to Lagos, maintained the emergency transponder code 7700 (Emergency signal) with the control tower till it landed.
The report said the aircraft, an over 13-year-old widebody aircraft belonging to the US carrier, United Airlines, was initially bound for Washington Dulles International Airport with registered N27903, adding that it had 245 passengers, eight flight attendants, and three pilots on board.
Reports say some of those on board sustained varying degrees of injuries.
Online videos and pictures from the distressed passengers in the aircraft showed that food and passengers’ luggage were scattered, littering the aircraft owing to the shaky nature of the flight.
The real cause of the pandemonium is yet to be ascertained as of the time of filing this report but the passengers are of the opinion that it was an engine-related issue.
However, only the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau can ascertain the real cause of such incidents.
Tthe Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Michael Achimugu, when contacted, confirmed the development, saying the passengers have been lodged in a hotel as stipulated by the regulatory act.
Achimugu said, “Yes, it is true, and no problems, the passengers have been lodged in a hotel as stipulated by the NCAA Act.”
The airline also confirmed the development in a terse statement, attributing it to “a technical issue.”
The statement read, “Flight UA613 from Lagos to Washington D.C. returned to Lagos to address a technical issue.
“After landing safely, the aircraft was met by first responders to address reports of minor injuries to several passengers and crew.”
