An Arik Air aircraft carrying 80 passengers and crew made an emergency landing at the Benin Airport on Wednesday following a fault detected in one of its engines during flight.
The Boeing 737-700, with registration number 5N-MJF, was en route from Lagos to Port Harcourt when the crew reportedly heard a loud bang from the left engine while descending into Port Harcourt airspace.
The pilots immediately initiated safety procedures and diverted the aircraft to the nearest suitable airport in Benin.
The airline confirmed that the plane landed safely and all passengers disembarked without injuries. Arrangements were subsequently made to transport them to their final destination.
Arik Air spokesperson, Adebanjo Ola, explained that the decision to divert was taken as a precaution after the unusual sound from the engine.
He added that passenger safety remained the airline’s top priority and apologised for the disruption caused by the incident.
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau also confirmed the development, describing it as an in-flight engine anomaly that required a precautionary shutdown of one engine and a diversion.
According to the agency, preliminary findings indicate significant damage to the affected engine based on an initial visual inspection conducted after landing in Benin.
The NSIB said it has commenced a full investigation in line with aviation safety regulations and international standards.
A team has been deployed to secure the aircraft, collect evidence, interview relevant personnel, and retrieve data from the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder.
The bureau noted that a preliminary report will be released within 30 days, while a final report will follow at the conclusion of the investigation.
