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Six people injured in mid-air jolt in US-bound plane, makes emergency landing back in Lagos

Speed News Desk | Updated on: 25 January 2025, 14:52 IST
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Lagos [Nigeria]: Four passengers and two crew members were injured on Friday when a United Airlines flight heading from Nigeria's Lagos to Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia made a sudden in-flight movement, CNN reported, citing United Airlines.

Chaos captured on video
Videos captured by passengers show chaos in the flight, with trays, food, and other objects scattered across the floor of the aircraft. The airline said that Flight 613 made an emergency landing back in Lagos, and the six injured people on board were rushed to a nearby hospital. United Airlines spokesperson Leslie Scott said that they have all since been released.


The cause of jolt remains unclear
It is not clear what caused the in-flight jolt. However, United Airlines has stated that severe turbulence was not the cause and added that it is "working with aviation authorities in the US and Nigeria to understand the cause."

Flight data reveals sudden descent
According to flight data from FlightRadar24, Flight 613 started descending abruptly from cruising altitude approximately 93 minutes after takeoff, CNN reported. The same plane, heading from Lagos to Washington's Dulles International Airport, had previously been diverted on Tuesday. The altitude data showed a rapid descent of 1,000 feet about 89 minutes after takeoff. It is unclear whether the diversions of UA613 are connected.

Passengers and crew accommodated
The flight on Friday was carrying 245 passengers, eight flight attendants, and three pilots, according to United Airlines. The airline said it is currently working to place passengers on other flights. Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at Nigeria's Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Michael Achimugu, confirmed the incident, CNN reported, citing state-run Radio Nigeria. He said there were no fatalities and that passengers were accommodated in hotels.

Previous Boeing 787 incident reviewed
The Friday incident involving a Boeing 787 has drawn comparisons to a mid-air dive by a Latam Airlines flight in March last year. In that case, investigators found that the pilot's seat had lurched forward into the control column, causing the aircraft's nose to drop. Following the incident, Boeing sent an advisory to airlines operating the Boeing 787, suggesting they inspect cockpit seat switches on the planes.

(With ANI inputs)

First published: 25 January 2025, 14:52 IST