38 hurt after ‘unexpected aircraft movement’ on United flight

ISTANBUL

38 people were injured, including six hospitalized, after a United Airlines flight from Nigeria to Washington, D.C., encountered midair issues, Nigerian officials said.

The exact nature of the emergency remains unclear, but a video shows the Boeing 787-8’s passenger cabin in disarray, with meal trays and food scattered on the floor and parts of the aircraft’s headliner detached from the ceiling, according to the NBC News on Sunday.

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria reported that the United flight departed Lagos at 11:59 p.m. local time on Thursday and returned to Murtala Muhammed International Airport at 3:22 a.m. Friday after an emergency occurred “hours” into the flight.

United Airlines said in a statement Saturday that Flight 613, carrying 245 passengers, eight crew members, and three pilots, safely returned to Lagos after experiencing "a technical issue and an unexpected aircraft movement."

The airline reported that the six hospitalized individuals included four passengers and two flight attendants with minor injuries. However, Nigeria's airports authority stated that the six suffered "serious" injuries and were stabilized at local medical facilities before being transferred to Duchess Hospital in Ikeja.

Additionally, 27 passengers and five crew members sustained minor injuries and received first aid.

The aircraft did not suffer major damage, according to the Nigerian airports authority.

The plane was in flight for 3 hours and 36 minutes, according to the FlightAware FlightAware.


United Airlines confirmed it was collaborating with both Nigerian and US authorities to investigate the cause of the incident.