By Fortune Mbonu
A Bombardier Challenger 600 (CL60) aircraft operated by Triton Aviation was forced to return to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Thursday after a cabin door reportedly detached shortly after take-off.
The aircraft, registered T7-SEI and operating as flight DWC052, had departed Abuja at 4:17 p.m. en route to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
About three minutes into the flight, while climbing through 3,000 feet and roughly three nautical miles from the airport, the crew transmitted a “MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY” distress call to air traffic control at 4:20 p.m. The pilots reported that a door had opened in flight.
Controllers immediately directed the aircraft to return to Abuja and cleared it for an emergency landing on Runway 22. Airport fire and rescue personnel, as well as medical teams, were placed on standby while the aircraft made its approach.
According to the serious-incident report, the jet touched down safely at 4:34 p.m., approximately 14 minutes after the distress call. The duty air traffic controller later observed that the cabin door was no longer attached to the aircraft’s fuselage.
The aircraft was subsequently taxied to the international apron extension and parked under marshaller guidance at 4:40 p.m.
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) confirmed that it had classified the occurrence as a serious incident and deployed investigators to the airport. The bureau’s media team said an official statement would be issued shortly.
The development has raised fresh concerns about pre-flight inspection procedures and aircraft maintenance oversight, even as investigators work to establish how the door became detached and whether it fell within the airport environs.
