United Airlines flight UA613, en route from Lagos to Washington, declared an emergency and returned to Lagos shortly after takeoff.
Vanguard reports indicate that several passengers and crew members on the Boeing 787-8 sustained minor injuries during the incident.
The flight, carrying 245 passengers, eight cabin crew, and three pilots, had to turn back while flying over Ivory Coast airspace.
A passenger, speaking anonymously, revealed that the emergency occurred after seatbelt signs had been turned off. The aircraft safely landed back at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA).
The passenger said: “We had already been served our meals when the plane lost pressure and dropped. We noticed a sharp descent. I hit my head on the ceiling because of the impact. I became unconscious, but one person from the medical team came to attend to me in the middle of the turmoil. The sharp descent happened three times, causing some people to sustain injuries. We spent four hours on air. In the midst of the turmoil, the pilot said we were going to land in Ghana, but we eventually landed in Nigeria.”
Clarifying the development, the airline in a chat with Vanguard, said: “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.”
