Bird strike forces United Nigeria to ground aircraft in Lagos

United Nigeria Airlines has withdrawn one of its aircraft from service after it was involved in a bird strike at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.

The airline disclosed this in a statement posted on its X page on Wednesday, saying the incident occurred on one of its Embraer 190 aircraft during the arrival of Flight UN0523 at the airport on September 1, 2026.

“Following standard post-flight inspection, our maintenance team identified evidence of a bird strike at 21:40 UTC on the right engine of the aircraft,” the statement said.

The airline said the aircraft had been withdrawn from service in line with its safety protocols while it undergoes further inspection and maintenance.

It added that the development would affect its schedule and lead to disruptions to some scheduled flights.

“In line with our safety protocols, the aircraft has been withdrawn from service as it undergoes further inspection and maintenance. Our schedule will be impacted leading to disruption of some scheduled flights,” it said.

United Nigeria Airlines apologised to affected passengers and said it was providing support to them.

“We are deeply sorry for the inconvenience this has caused to our valued passengers. Be rest assured that those affected are provided with full support,” the airline said.

It advised passengers requiring further assistance to contact its customer service team.

Bird strike is one of the recurring operational challenges for Nigerian carriers.

United Nigeria Airlines itself has reported multiple such incidents in 2026, including several earlier in the year that temporarily grounded aircraft and forced schedule changes.

Saheed is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over two years of experience covering metro, technology, sports, politics, and human-interest stories. He focuses on producing clear, engaging reports across diverse beats. Saheed’s work reflects hands-on newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate and balanced journalism.

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