- 248 Passengers Escape Disaster As Qatar Airways Plane Lands In Lagos
- All 248 passengers and 12 crew evacuated safely without injuries
- Emergency response activated promptly, aircraft secured after inspection
A Qatar Airways aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Friday night after developing a technical fault while airborne.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency confirmed the incident in a statement signed by its Permanent Secretary, Olufemi Oke Osanyintolu. The aircraft, carrying 248 passengers and 12 crew members, reportedly encountered technical issues within Nigerian airspace, prompting the pilot to raise distress alerts.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that according to the agency, the distress call was received through the state’s 767 and 112 toll free emergency lines, triggering the immediate activation of Lagos State’s emergency response plan.
The agency said its Lagos Response Team was swiftly deployed to the airport, where it was discovered that the aircraft had already executed a forced landing due to the technical problem.
“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 statement said.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the immediate cause of the incident was technical issues suffered by the distressed aircraft.”
LASEMA commended the pilot for his professionalism and calm handling of the situation, noting that his actions ensured the aircraft landed safely with emergency responders on standby.
After landing, the aircraft was inspected by the pilot and engineering crew before being moved to the apron for further checks and necessary repairs.
“All passengers were safely evacuated, with no injuries recorded,” the agency stated.
“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. All passengers of the distressed aircraft were evacuated safely, and no casualties were reported.”
The agency added that there was no significant damage to the aircraft and that all 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 added.
Eyewitnesses at the airport described tense moments as emergency responders lined the runway while passengers prepared for the unexpected landing.
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