United Airlines flight UA613, en route from Lagos to Washington, declared a mid-flight emergency over Ivory Coast airspace and returned to Murtala Muhammed International Airport on January 24, 2025. The Boeing 787-8, carrying 245 passengers, eight flight attendants, and three pilots, saw several injuries, though they were reported as minor.
One passenger, who preferred to remain anonymous, recounted the ordeal to Vanguard: “We had already been served our meals when the plane lost pressure and dropped. We noticed a sharp descent. I hit my head on the ceiling because of the impact.
“I became unconscious, but one person from the medical team came to attend to me in the middle of the turmoil. The sharp descent happened three times, causing some people to sustain injuries. We spent four hours in the air.
“In the midst of the turmoil, the pilot said we were going to land in Ghana, but we eventually landed in Nigeria.”
United Airlines spokesperson Linden Birns confirmed the incident, stating: ‘Flight UA613 from Lagos to Washington D.C. returned to Lagos to address a technical issue. After landing safely, the aircraft was met by first responders to assist with reports of minor injuries to several passengers and crew.’
The cause of the emergency is under investigation, but all passengers and crew safely disembarked after the aircraft’s return to Lagos.
