Arik Air Flight Diverts Safely to Benin Following Engine Failure

An Arik Air Boeing 737-700 (registration 5N-MJF) traveling from Lagos to Port Harcourt International Airport (PHIA) safely diverted to Benin Airport on Wednesday after a technical fault was detected in one of its engines.

The airline’s Public Relations & Communications Manager, Adebanji Ola, said the flight crew of W3 740 heard a loud bang from the left engine while descending toward Port Harcourt’s Omagwa runway, prompting the precautionary diversion to ensure passenger safety.

“All 80 passengers on board disembarked safely, and there were no injuries,” the statement confirmed. Arik Air said arrangements were underway to transport affected passengers to their intended destination.

Ola added: “We sincerely apologise to the Port Harcourt passengers whose journey was disrupted. The safety and wellbeing of our passengers remain our highest priority at Arik Air.”

The airline emphasized that the incident was handled with strict adherence to safety protocols, demonstrating the crew’s professionalism and the airline’s commitment to passenger security.