A Qatar Airways aircraft carrying 248 passengers and 12 crew members made a safe emergency landing at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Thursday after experiencing a technical problem mid-air.
Emergency responders, including personnel from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), were placed on high alert as the aircraft touched down. The pilot successfully landed the plane without any injuries or loss of life.
The Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed the incident in a statement, noting that the emergency response plan was immediately activated following distress alerts received by the agency.
“Upon arrival at the scene, it was discovered that a passenger aircraft had suffered a technical fault while airborne in Nigerian airspace, necessitating an emergency landing in Lagos,” Oke-Osanyintolu said.
He explained that preliminary investigations indicated that the incident was caused by technical issues encountered during the flight. Despite the fault, the aircraft landed safely on the runway with emergency teams on standby.
Following safety checks by the pilot and engineering crew, the aircraft was moved to the apron for detailed inspection and necessary repairs. All passengers were safely evacuated, and no injuries were recorded.
Oke-Osanyintolu added that the incident did not result in any significant damage to the aircraft and that recovery operations had been successfully concluded.
Emergency responders at the scene included LASEMA’s Command and Control Centre team, LASAMBUS, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
