A private jet carrying nine people was forced to make an emergency landing in Nigeria after one of its doors detached mid-air at an altitude of around 3,500 feet. The incident prompted the pilots to issue a Mayday distress call and return to the airport, where emergency services were placed on standby. All nine people on board escaped unharmed.
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According to a report by Gulf News, the Challenger 604 aircraft, operated by Triton Aviation, was travelling from Abuja to Lagos on Thursday, October 15, when the incident occurred shortly after take-off from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
How the emergency unfolded
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) confirmed that the aircraft was approximately three nautical miles from the airport and climbing through 3,500 feet when its crew declared an emergency after the door separated from the fuselage.
Air traffic controllers immediately instructed the pilots to return to Abuja, while firefighters, rescue workers and medical teams were placed on standby.
{{/usCountry}}Air traffic controllers immediately instructed the pilots to return to Abuja, while firefighters, rescue workers and medical teams were placed on standby.
{{/usCountry}}According to an air traffic control incident report cited by Nigerian media, the pilots initially reported that a door had opened during the flight but were unsure whether it remained attached to the aircraft.
During their return, the crew asked controllers to visually inspect the jet. One controller attempted to examine it using binoculars, but the aircraft's position and approach angle made it difficult to determine whether the door was still in place.
Despite the uncertainty, the pilots safely landed on Runway 22 at Abuja airport. All six passengers and three crew members were accounted for, with no injuries reported.
Missing aircraft door recovered, investigation launched
The detached door was subsequently discovered on farmland near Abuja, according to local media reports. Videos circulating online showed people examining what appeared to be the missing aircraft component.
The NSIB later confirmed that investigators had recovered the door and secured it at the bureau's wreckage hangar for examination.
The San Marino-registered aircraft was operating under flight identification DWC052.
The bureau's director-general, Captain Alex Badeh Jr, confirmed that an investigation had begun to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.