At least 248 passengers narrowly escaped death on Friday night after a Qatar Airways aircraft made an emergency landing at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
This followed a technical problem with the aircraft mid air.
The Permanent Secretary Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed the incident in a statement on Saturday in Lagos.
He said the aircraft with 12 crew members, encountered the problem while airborne within Nigerian airspace, triggered distress alerts and an immediate emergency response.
The statement read: “Following distress alerts received at the Command and Control Centre in Alausa, Ikeja, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency promptly activated the State’s Emergency Response Plans.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the immediate cause of the incident was technical issues suffered by the distressed aircraft.
“The pilot executed a safe landing on the runway at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport with LASEMA response teams and other emergency responders on standby.”
” After landing, the aircraft was thoroughly checked by the pilot and engineering crew before being moved to the apron for detailed inspection and necessary repairs. All passengers were safely evacuated, with no injuries recorded. “
