By Ola ‘Kiya, Reporting
AN Arik Air Boeing 737-700 carrying 80 passengers and crew made an emergency landing at Benin Airport on Wednesday after a suspected engine failure forced the aircraft to divert from its scheduled route.
The aircraft, operating Flight W3 740 from Lagos to Port Harcourt, was on descent into Port Harcourt when the crew reported hearing a loud explosion-like sound from one of the engines.
The development was later described as an engine anomaly.
Acting out of caution, the pilots redirected the flight to Benin, where the aircraft landed safely without further incident.
Aviation authorities later confirmed that the aircraft’s left engine sustained significant damage. Despite the scare, all passengers and crew disembarked without injury.
Arik Air subsequently arranged alternative transportation to convey affected passengers to Port Harcourt and apologised for the disruption. The airline reaffirmed that passenger safety remains its top priority.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has launched a full investigation into the incident. Officials have been deployed to secure the aircraft and retrieve vital materials, including the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder.
According to the authorities, a preliminary report is expected within 30 days, while a final report will be issued at the conclusion of the investigation.
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