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 mid-air.
Naijaonpoint reports that the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) confirmed in a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, that the aircraft, which was fully loaded with 248 passengers and 12 crew members, encountered a problem while airborne within Nigerian airspace, triggering distress alerts and an immediate emergency response.
LASEMA said it activated the state’s emergency response plan immediately upon receiving the distress call through its 767/112 toll-free emergency lines.
The Permanent Secretary reassured the public of the agency’s readiness to respond to emergencies, noting that the swift, coordinated response helped avert what could have been a major aviation disaster.
LASEMA explained that upon arrival at the scene, its Lagos Response Team discovered that the aircraft had already conducted a forced landing due to technical issues.
The statement read, “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.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the immediate cause of the incident was technical issues suffered by the distressed aircraft.”
The agency, however, commended the pilot for his professionalism, successfully bringing the aircraft down safely while emergency teams stood by on extreme high alert.
The agency stated, “After landing, the aircraft was thoroughly checked by the pilot and engineering crew before being moved to the apron for detailed inspection and necessary repairs. All passengers were safely evacuated, with no injuries recorded.
“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 further said that despite the frightening incident, there was no significant damage to the aircraft, and it has since been secured, and recovery operations concluded.
The statement added, “The aircraft has been secured on the apron, recovery activities have been completed, and the rescue operation has been safely concluded.”
Eyewitnesses at the airport who spoke to Punch described tense moments as emergency responders lined the runway, while passengers on board braced for an unexpected landing.