Mid-air turbulence injures 6, forces United Airlines plane to landing in Nigeria
Sopuruchi Onwuka, with agency reports
A mid-air turbulence that involved a deep plunge forced an aircraft operated by United Airlines to return to Nigeria on Friday in an emergency measure.
It was gathered that the flight from Lagos to Washington, DC, experienced “an unexpected aircraft movement,” and had to make an emergency landing following a technical issue.
Operators of the ship, United Airlines said six people were taken to hospital with injuries but were discharged, the airline said.
Four passengers and two flight attendants were taken to hospital with injuries after Flight UA613 involving Boeing 787-8 landed safely back in Nigeria. And Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) said an additional 27 passengers and five crew members sustained minor injuries.
Videos circulating on social media appear to show scenes on board the aircraft. The footage shows food and items strewn across the cabin with the sound of panicked passengers in the background.
It was confirmed that 245 passengers, eight flight attendants and three pilots were on board the flight.
Flight data from Flightradar24 shows that the plane abruptly dropped speed twice during the flight, at one point slowing from over 500 knots to 40 knots. United Airlines said it was working with US and Nigerian aviation authorities to investigate the cause of the issue.
FAAN said the Boeing 787-8 built in 2012 and registered as N27903 did not suffer “any major damage.”
The United Airlines flight was scheduled to ship passengers from Lagos, Nigeria, to Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia, USA
United Airlines has said the cause of the jolt was not severe turbulence, adding that it was “working with aviation authorities in the US and Nigeria to understand the cause.”
Flight data accessed from FlightRadar24 shows Flight 613 descending abruptly from cruising altitude approximately 93 minutes after takeoff.
The same aircraft, flying from Lagos to Washington’s Dulles International Airport had previously been diverted on Tuesday, according to FlightRadar. Altitude data from that flight showed a rapid descent of 1,000 feet about 89 minutes into the flight. It is unclear whether the diversions of UA613 are related.
United said it was working to place passengers on other flights.
Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at Nigeria’s Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Michael Achimugu confirmed the incident, adding that passengers had been accommodated in hotels.
Friday’s incident involved a Boeing 787, which was subject to review by the Federal Aviation Administration following a mid-air dive of a Latam Airlines flight last March. In that previous incident, investigators found a pilot’s seat on the flight had lurched forward and into the plane’s control column, causing the plane’s nose to drop.
Days after the Latam Airlines incident, Boeing sent an advisory to airlines that operate the Boeing 787 recommending they inspect cockpit seat switches on the planes.
The Oracle Today reports that Nigeria remains a very viable route for United Airlines which has recorded one the biggest post-pandemic rebound story, with its stock up 136% last year. It posted a record profit for the fourth quarter, with adjusted net income of $1.1 billion — up 64% from the same period a year earlier.
Across the same timeframe, premium cabin revenue was up by 10%, while revenue from basic economy rose by a fifth.United operated the most flights and carried the most passengers in its history in 2024, as well as being first in on-time performance at its seven US hubs.
“United had a unique strategy coming out of COVID and our people have delivered for customers leading to a structurally and permanently changed industry,” said CEO Scott Kirby.
It forecast adjusted earnings per share for the first quarter of $0.75 to $1.25.
