The incident occurred during descent as Flight W3 740, operated by aircraft 5N-MJF, was travelling from Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, to Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa.
An Arik Air Boeing 737-700 flying from Lagos to Port Harcourt was forced to make an emergency diversion to Benin on Wednesday after aviation authorities reported “significant damage” to one of its engines, raising fresh concerns over aircraft maintenance and in-flight safety procedures.
The aircraft, registered 5N-MJF and operating flight W3 740, experienced the issue during its descent toward Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa.
According to Arik Air spokesperson Adebanjo Ola, the crew heard a loud bang from the left engine as they approached Port Harcourt airspace.
“On descent, the crew detected an unusual noise from the left engine. As a precaution, they safely diverted the flight to Benin,” Ola said.
The emergency landing, a textbook example of aviation safety protocols, ensured that all 80 passengers and crew disembarked without injury.
Arik Air confirmed there were no casualties and apologised to passengers for the disruption.
“We sincerely apologise to our Port Harcourt-bound passengers whose journey was affected. Passenger safety remains our top priority,” Ola added.
Further reports from the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) suggest the incident could have been more serious than initially reported. NSIB Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance, Mrs Bimbo Oladeji, described it as an in-flight engine anomaly caused by abnormal engine readings.
“In line with safety procedures, the crew shut down the affected engine and diverted to the nearest suitable airport, Benin,” Oladeji said.
“The aircraft landed safely, and all passengers and crew disembarked without incident. No injuries have been reported,” she said.
Although the safe landing prevented casualties, early inspections point to significant mechanical impact.
“Preliminary checks at the diversion airport reveal substantial damage to the affected engine, based on initial visual assessment,” the statement added.
Aviation experts note that incidents like this underscore the critical role of redundancy systems in commercial aircraft, particularly twin-engine planes like the Boeing 737-700, which are engineered to continue flying safely on a single engine if needed.
The NSIB has dispatched a preliminary assessment team to Benin to secure the aircraft and begin investigations. The team will document physical evidence, interview the crew and other relevant personnel, and recover both the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder.
The bureau said a preliminary report on the incident will be released within 30 days, with a final report to follow once the investigation concludes.
While no injuries occurred, the event renews attention on operational reliability in Nigeria’s domestic aviation sector, even as authorities stress that established safety protocols successfully averted a potentially more serious outcome.