Arik Air flight to Port Harcourt diverts to Benin after engine scare
An Arik Air aircraft en route from Lagos to Port Harcourt on Wednesday made an emergency diversion to Benin Airport after the crew reported hearing a loud bang from one of the engines.
The airline, in a statement, said the Boeing 737-700 operating flight W3-740 (registration 5N-MJF) was already descending into the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, when the abnormal sound was noticed.
According to Arik Air, the pilots immediately initiated safety protocols and opted to divert the plane as a precaution.
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“There were no injuries to passengers and crew as all 80 passengers on board were safely disembarked. Arrangements have been made to transport the affected passengers to their final destination,” the airline said.
Arik apologised to travellers whose plans were disrupted, reiterating that passenger safety remains its top priority.
NSIB opens investigation
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) confirmed the development, describing it as an in-flight engine anomaly.
Bimbo Oladeji, the agency’s Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance, said the flight crew observed abnormal indications from the affected engine and shut it down in accordance with standard operating procedures before rerouting the aircraft.
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“The aircraft landed without incident, and all passengers and crew disembarked normally. No injuries have been reported,” she said.
Oladeji added that early visual checks carried out after landing suggested substantial damage to the engine.
In line with its legal mandate and international investigative standards, the bureau has commenced a full probe into the occurrence. An assessment team has been dispatched to Benin to secure the aircraft, gather evidence, interview crew members and witnesses, and retrieve the flight data and cockpit voice recorders.
The NSIB said it is collaborating with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Arik Air and other relevant stakeholders to establish what happened and identify contributing factors.
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“A preliminary report will be released within 30 days, while a final report will follow at the end of the investigation,” Oladeji stated.
She also appealed to members of the public who may have useful information or recordings related to the incident to share them with the bureau through official channels.
The incident briefly unsettled passengers but ended without casualties, with aviation authorities now focused on determining the technical cause of the engine problem.
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