By Our Reporter
A United Airlines flight, UA613, traveling from Lagos to Washington D.C., was forced to return to Lagos after experiencing a mid-flight emergency. The Boeing 787-8, carrying 245 passengers, eight flight attendants, and three pilots, was midway over the Ivory Coast when the technical issue occurred, prompting an immediate return to Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA).
According to reports, several passengers and crew members sustained minor injuries during the ordeal. One passenger, who wished to remain anonymous, described the alarming sequence of events after the plane had been cruising for some time.
“We had just finished our meals when the plane suddenly lost pressure and began to drop,” the passenger recalled. “There was a sharp descent, and I hit my head on the ceiling due to the sudden impact. I lost consciousness briefly, but a member of the medical team helped me in the chaos.”
The descent reportedly occurred in three separate instances, causing injuries among several passengers. The flight spent over four hours in the air, during which time the pilot initially announced an emergency landing in Ghana. However, the plane ultimately returned to Lagos, where it landed safely.
In a statement, United Airlines confirmed the incident, stating, “Flight UA613 from Lagos to Washington D.C. returned to Lagos to address a technical issue. After safely landing, the aircraft was met by emergency responders, who attended to reports of minor injuries to several passengers and crew members.”