Mid-air explosion damages aircraft engine, forcing emergency landing | Video

Arik Air jet suffers mid-air engine failure

A commercial flight operated by Arik Air made an emergency landing in southern Nigeria after suffering an engine failure mid-air, officials said. All 80 passengers and crew escaped unhurt.

The incident took place on Wednesday morning on a flight from Lagos to Port Harcourt. The aircraft, operating as Flight W3 740, departed Murtala Muhammed International Airport at 7:24 am local time and was cruising at around 27,000 feet when crew members heard a loud bang from the left engine.

“Thank you lord for hearing our cries, we boarded an Arik Air flight from Lagos to Port Harcourt and i dont really knew what happened our engine made a disturbing sound and failed the pilot had to make an emergency landing in Benin,” a passenger wrote on social media, according to a post by E50 exchange.

Thank you lord for hearing our cries, we boarded an Arik Air flight from Lagos to Port Harcourt and i dont really knew what happened our engine made a disturbing sound and failed the pilot had to make an emergency landing in Benin. pic.twitter.com/5e03wyX54w

— E50 exchange (@E50EXCHANGE) February 11, 2026

The airline said the pilots followed standard safety protocols and diverted the aircraft to Benin Airport. The plane landed safely at about 8:05 am, with emergency responders on standby as a precaution.

Footage shared online showed the aircraft descending and touching down with visible damage to its number one engine. The outer metal casing appeared to have been torn away, exposing internal parts, including fan blades.

Preliminary information from aviation safety sources indicated that the engine inlet may have detached. Visible blade damage has raised the possibility of a “fan blade off” incident, a rare but serious form of engine failure. Investigators also noted damage to the aircraft’s vertical stabiliser, likely caused by debris from the affected engine.

Passengers said they heard a loud explosion from the left side of the aircraft shortly before the diversion. All those on board disembarked safely after landing.

Arik Air apologised for the disruption and said alternative arrangements were made to transport passengers onward to Port Harcourt. “The safety and well-being of passengers is always our priority,” the airline said, adding that a full investigation is underway.

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Board has deployed an initial assessment team to secure the aircraft, collect evidence, interview crew and passengers, and recover flight data and cockpit voice recorder information.

Aviation authorities will review maintenance records, engine components and the aircraft’s flight history to determine the exact cause of the failure. The aircraft remains grounded pending further inspections as regulators consider whether additional safety measures are required.