The Abuja airport was thrown into panic on Thursday after a CL60 aircraft operated by Triton Aviation lost a door mid-air, forcing the crew to declare an emergency shortly after take-off from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Our correspondent learnt that the aircraft, with registration number T7-SEI and flight identification DWC052, was en route to the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, when the incident occurred at about 4:20 pm.
An incident report obtained by our correspondent showed that the crew informed the air traffic control tower that a door had opened in flight, prompting the approach radar controller to direct the aircraft back to Abuja for an emergency landing.
The report further showed that the aircraft took off from Runway 22 at 4:17 pm UTC. It was “about three nautical miles from the airport, climbing through 3,000 feet, when the crew transmitted a distress call: ‘Mayday, Mayday, Mayday.’”
Following the distress call, airport fire and emergency personnel, as well as the medical team, were immediately alerted and placed on standby. Fire and rescue teams were also directed to designated positions to prepare for the aircraft’s return.
The incident report stated that at about 4:29 pm UTC, while in contact with the Abuja control tower, the crew asked whether the controllers could confirm if the door was open.
“The duty air traffic controller attempted to observe the aircraft using binoculars, but could not establish the door’s condition because of the aircraft’s position. The crew was subsequently informed that the controller could not confirm the situation visually,” the report said.
The aircraft eventually landed safely on Runway 22 at approximately 4:34 pm UTC, about 14 minutes after the Mayday call.
Following the landing, the duty controller observed that the aircraft’s door was missing from the fuselage, confirming the seriousness of the incident.
The jet was subsequently taxied to the international apron extension and parked with the assistance of a marshaller.
Meanwhile, a video obtained by The PUNCH showed the missing door, reportedly recovered by farmers from a farm in the Abuja area.
In the video, a man whose identity could not be established said the farmers found the door while returning from their farm.
He said, “This is what we found as we were returning from our farm. It fell from a plane, but we don’t know much about its identity. As I am sending it to you, sir, just check it.”
The number of passengers on board could not be immediately confirmed as of the time of filing this report.
The Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Michael Achimugu, confirmed the incident but said the agency could not comment, adding that the matter fell under the purview of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau.
Although the NSIB could not immediately provide an official comment to our correspondent, a reliable source in the agency confirmed the seriousness of the incident.
The source said the bureau’s management had deployed investigators and would issue an official statement in due course.
Triton Aviation, the aircraft’s operator, could not be reached for comment as of the time of filing this report.