A Qatar Airways flight carrying 248 passengers and 12 crew members was forced to make an emergency landing at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Friday night after experiencing a technical fault mid-air.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency confirmed that the problem arose while the aircraft was within Nigerian airspace, prompting an immediate emergency response.
“Following distress alerts received at the Command and Control Centre in Alausa, Ikeja, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency promptly activated the State’s Emergency Response Plans,” the agency said in a preliminary report.
Signed by LASEMA’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the report noted that the swift action helped avert what could have been a serious aviation incident.
Emergency landings typically occur when unforeseen technical issues arise during a flight, with pilots coordinating with control towers to safely guide the aircraft to the ground.
Eyewitnesses at the airport described tense moments as emergency personnel positioned themselves along the runway while passengers braced for the unplanned landing.
LASEMA revealed that its team arrived to find the aircraft had already landed safely. “Preliminary investigations revealed that the immediate cause of the incident was technical issues suffered by the distressed aircraft,” the agency said.
The pilot was commended for handling the situation calmly. “The pilot executed a safe landing on the runway at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport with LASEMA response teams and other emergency responders on standby,” the statement added.
Following the landing, the aircraft underwent inspection by the pilot and engineering crew before being moved to the apron for further checks and repairs.
“All passengers of the distressed aircraft were evacuated safely, and no casualties were reported,” LASEMA confirmed.
The agency also stated that the aircraft sustained no major damage and that recovery operations had been concluded.
“The aircraft has been secured on the apron, recovery activities have been completed, and the rescue operation has been safely concluded,” the statement said.
Officials from LASEMA’s Command and Control Centre, LASAMBUS, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria were all involved in the response.
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority also confirmed the incident. Its spokesperson, Michael Achimugu, said, “I can confirm that there was an air return. Details will be communicated later.”
At the time of filing, Qatar Airways had yet to release an official statement regarding the emergency landing.
