By Obinna Uballa
Arik Air has confirmed that Flight W3 740 from Lagos to Port Harcourt was diverted to Benin Airport as a precautionary measure after the crew detected an unusual sound from the aircraft’s left engine.
The incident was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday in Lagos by the airline’s Public Relations and Communications Manager, Mr Adebanji Ola.
According to the airline, the Boeing 737-700 aircraft, with registration number 5N-MJF, was already descending into Port Harcourt when the operating crew heard a loud noise from the left engine and immediately initiated diversion procedures in line with safety protocols.
All 80 passengers on board disembarked safely at Benin Airport, with no injuries recorded.
Arik Air said arrangements had been made to convey the affected passengers to their final destinations.
“The airline extends its sincere apologies to passengers whose journey was disrupted. The safety and well-being of our passengers remain our top priority,” the statement said.
Further details on the exact cause of the engine anomaly are yet to be made public.
