A commercial passenger flight operated by Arik Air made an emergency landing in southern Nigeria after one of its engines exploded, causing severe damage, according to officials and safety reports.
Multiple video clips showing the descending commercial plane with the shredded outer shell of the engine, apparently exposing internal parts, have gone viral on social media.
The incident took place on Wednesday morning on a Boeing 737-700 aircraft flying from Lagos to Port Harcourt, Nigeria. The plane, marked 5N-MJF and operating as Flight W3 740, left Murtala Muhammed Airport at 7:24 am local time, cruising at an altitude of about 27,000 feet, when the crew on board said they heard a loud bang on the left engine.
According to a statement from the airline, the crew initiated precautionary procedures and diverted the aircraft to Benin Airport. The plane landed safely at about 8:05 am, with emergency services on standby.
Terrifying footage shows the plane landing at Benin City Airport with its metal casing torn apart, revealing the machinery inside.
The video, recorded from the ground, shows the jet landing with visible structural damage to its number one engine. The engine's metal cowling appeared torn away, allowing a look into the inner machinery and fan blades.
According to the crash reports on the Aviation Safety Network, the engine inlet appeared to be missing, as some of its blades were damaged, leading investigators to suspect that the possible cause of the engine's structural failure might have been a "fan blade off" incident.
Inspectors also noted damage to the leading edge of the aircraft's vertical stabiliser, likely caused by debris from the engine.
Watch the footage here:
The aircraft was carrying 80 passengers and crew members at the time of the incident. All occupants disembarked safely after landing, and no injuries were reported.
According to the airline and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Board, the cause is still being investigated after passengers reported hearing a loud blast from the left side of the aircraft as it descended.
In its statement, Arik Air apologised for the disruption and confirmed that arrangements were made to transport passengers to their final destination, Port Harcourt International Airport.
“The safety and well-being of passengers is always our priority,” the airline said, adding that a full investigation into the cause of the engine failure is underway.
The statement sent by the agency states that “a preliminary assessment team is en route to Benin to secure the aircraft, document evidence, interview pertinent personnel and witnesses, and recover flight data and cockpit voice recorder information,” The New York Post reported.
Aviation authorities will investigate the maintenance history, engine parts, and flight records to ascertain the exact cause of the explosion. Engine fan blade explosions are rare occurrences, but this may have happened due to metal fatigue, foreign object damage, or flaws in the engine's design.
The aircraft remains grounded pending inspection, while regulators and safety investigators work to establish whether additional safety measures are required.
