Aircraft Loses Door Mid-Air, Makes Emergency Landing in Abuja

An aircraft operated by Triton Aviation made an emergency landing at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, after losing a door shortly after take-off, averting a possible air disaster.

The incident occurred on Thursday, October 15, 2026, when the CL60 aircraft, registered as T7-SEI and operating under flight identification DWC052, was departing Abuja for the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

According to an incident report obtained by The Guardian, the aircraft took off from Runway 22 at approximately 4:17 p.m. Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). It was climbing through 3,000 feet, about three nautical miles from the airport, when the crew declared an emergency by transmitting a “Mayday” distress call.

The crew reported that a door had opened during the flight, prompting air traffic controllers to direct the aircraft back to Abuja.

Following the distress call, airport fire and emergency personnel, alongside medical teams, were placed on standby in preparation for the aircraft’s return.

The report stated that air traffic controllers attempted to establish the condition of the door visually but could not confirm its status because of the aircraft’s position.

The aircraft subsequently landed safely on Runway 22 at approximately 4:34 p.m. UTC, about 14 minutes after the Mayday call.

After landing, the duty air traffic controller observed that the door was missing from the aircraft’s fuselage. The jet was later guided to the international apron extension and parked safely.

Meanwhile, a video obtained by The Guardian showed farmers discovering the missing aircraft door on farmland in Abuja. In the footage, a man said the farmers found the object while returning from their farm.

The number of passengers on board had not been established as of the time of reporting. Triton Aviation was also yet to provide an official response to enquiries about the incident.

The Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Michael Achimugu, confirmed the incident but said it fell under the jurisdiction of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB).

The NSIB confirmed that it had deployed investigators to examine the serious incident and determine the circumstances surrounding the loss of the door.

Further details are expected as the investigation progresses.