- Many passengers Injured…
By Kolawole Ojebisi
Tragedy was averted yesterday when a United Airlines flight made an air return to Lagos due to an emergency.
The flight, a Boeing 787-8 was leaving Lagos for Washington Dulles.
It was gathered that following thiis unscheduled return the aircraft crew maintained the emergency transponder code 7700 (Emergency signal) with the control tower till it landed.
The aircraft, initially bound for Washington Dulles International Airport with registered N27903, is an over 13-year-old widebody aircraft belonging to the US carrier United Airlines.
It had 245 passengers, eight flight attendants, and three pilots on board.
Some of those on board reportedly sustained injuries.As revealed in the videos and pictures of near-fatal journey made available to newsmen, the distressed passengers in the aircraft were apprehensive.
The video also shows that food and passengers’ luggage were scattered, littering the aircraft owing to the shaky nature of the flight.
The real cause of the pandemonium had 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 is saddled with the role of ascertaining and clearly stating the real cause of such incidents.
However, the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Micheal Achimugu, has confirmed the development.
Speaking about the development, Achimugu allayed the fears of relatives of the passengers stressing that they have been lodged in a hotel as stipulated by the regulatory act.
“Yes, it is true, and no problems, the passengers have been lodged in a hotel as stipulated by the NCAA Act,” he said.
The airline also confirmed the development in a terse statement, attributing it to “a technical issue.”
“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,” the statement read.
