- A United Airlines flight from Nigeria to the US made an emergency landing following a technical issue.
- The flight from Lagos to Washington, DC. experienced “an unexpected aircraft movement,” United said.
- Six people were taken to hospital with injuries but have been discharged, the airline said.
A United Airlines flight from Nigeria to the US was forced to make an emergency landing in Lagos early Friday.
The flight from Lagos to Washington D.C. turned back after the aircraft — a Boeing 787-8 — experienced a technical issue and “an unexpected aircraft movement,” the airline said.
After diverting, United Airlines Flight UA613 landed safely back in Nigeria. Four passengers and two flight attendants were taken to hospital with injuries but have been discharged, United Airlines said in a statement.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) said an additional 27 passengers and five crew members sustained minor injuries.
Videos circulating on social media appear to show scenes on board the aircraft. The footage shows food and items strewn across the cabin with the sound of panicked passengers in the background.
Two-hundred-and-forty-five passengers were on board the flight, as well as eight flight attendants and three pilots.
Flight data from Flightradar24 shows that the plane abruptly dropped speed twice during the flight, at one point slowing from over 500 knots to 40 knots.
United Airlines said it was working with US and Nigerian aviation authorities to investigate the cause of the issue.
FAAN said the aircraft did not suffer “any major damage.”
The Boeing 787-8 in question, registered as N27903, was built in 2012.
In 2024, the FAA ordered hundreds of Boeing 787s to undergo inspections after a Latam Airlines jet suddenly dropped in midair.
Boeing did not immediately reply to a request for comment from Business Insider, which was sent outside regular working hours.
