Explosive Failure Just After Takeoff
Passengers on an Arik Air flight from Lagos to Port Harcourt captured chilling footage as the Boeing 737’s engine exploded shortly after takeoff. Onboard were 80 terrified souls when the plane’s left engine blew its top, forcing an urgent emergency landing at Benin Airport.
The plane shook from a loud bang heard by the crew, who quickly enacted emergency procedures to keep everyone safe.
Safe Landing Despite Engine Catastrophe
Thankfully, the aircraft made it down safely on just one engine. No injuries were reported. The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) called the incident an ‘in-flight engine anomaly’ and dispatched a team to Benin to investigate.
“We sincerely apologise to the affected Port Harcourt passengers whose journey has been disrupted. The safety and well-being of passengers is always our priority at Arik Air,” said an airline spokesperson.
Probe Underway Into Engine Explosion
NSIB is working closely with Nigeria’s Civil Aviation Authority and Arik Air to uncover what caused the engine to fail. Investigators will gather evidence, interview crew and passengers, and recover the flight data and cockpit voice recorders.
This shocking event follows a similar Boeing incident last year involving an engine catching fire mid-flight.
Related: Flames Spurting from Condor Plane’s Engine
In a terrifying but separate incident last year, a Condor Airlines flight from Corfu to Düsseldorf saw flames shooting from its right engine at 36,000 feet. The engine was switched off mid-air, but luckily all 273 passengers landed safely.
Stay tuned for updates on the Arik Air investigation as officials race to pinpoint what caused the engine explosion that nearly ended in disaster.
