No fewer than 248 passengers narrowly escaped death on Friday night after a Qatar Airways aircraft developed a technical fault mid-air and was forced to make an emergency landing at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) confirmed the incident, stating that the aircraft, which was fully loaded with 248 passengers and 12 crew members, encountered the problem while flying within Nigerian airspace, prompting distress alerts and an immediate emergency response.

According to a preliminary report obtained on Saturday, LASEMA said it activated the state’s emergency response plan immediately after receiving the distress call through its 767/112 toll-free emergency lines.

Emergency landings are typically initiated when unplanned technical faults occur during a flight. In such situations, pilots send distress signals to the control tower, after which the aircraft is guided to make a safe landing.

In the report signed by the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the agency stated, “Following distress alerts received at the Command and Control Centre in Alausa, Ikeja, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency promptly activated the State’s Emergency Response Plans.”

Oke-Osanyintolu reassured residents of the agency’s preparedness to respond swiftly to emergencies, noting that the coordinated response helped avert what could have resulted in a major aviation disaster.

Eyewitnesses at the airport described tense moments as emergency responders lined up along the runway, while passengers onboard braced themselves for the unexpected landing.

LASEMA explained that upon arrival at the scene, its Lagos Response Team discovered that the aircraft had already carried out a forced landing due to technical issues.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the immediate cause of the incident was technical issues suffered by the distressed aircraft,” the report noted.

The agency, however, commended the pilot for his professionalism and calm handling of the situation, which ensured the aircraft landed safely while emergency teams remained on extreme high alert.

“The pilot executed a safe landing on the runway at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport with LASEMA response teams and other emergency responders on standby,” the agency stated.

After landing, the aircraft was thoroughly inspected by the pilot and engineering crew before being moved to the apron for further checks and any necessary repairs. All passengers were safely evacuated, and no injuries were recorded.

“All passengers of the distressed aircraft were evacuated safely, and no casualties were reported,” LASEMA confirmed.

The agency further disclosed that there was no significant damage to the aircraft despite the frightening incident.

Providing an update, LASEMA said the aircraft has since been secured, and recovery operations have been successfully concluded.

“The aircraft has been secured on the apron, recovery activities have been completed, and the rescue operation has been safely concluded,” the statement added.

Emergency responders at the scene included LASEMA’s Command and Control Centre, LASAMBUS, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.

Also confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Michael Achimugu, said in a WhatsApp message, “I can confirm that there was an air return. Details will be communicated later.”

As of the time of filing this report, Qatar Airways had yet to respond to enquiries sent to its country manager, Ken Chirchir.