A private jet operated by Triton Aviation was forced into an emergency landing in Abuja on Thursday after losing a door mid-air moments after take-off, triggering a frantic response from airport emergency teams.
The CL60 aircraft, with registration number T7-SEI and flight identification DWC052, was heading to the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos when the alarming incident occurred at about 4:20 pm.
An incident report obtained by our correspondent revealed that the aircraft had barely climbed away from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport when the crew discovered that a door had opened in flight.
At about 3,000 feet and just three nautical miles from the airport, the crew issued a chilling distress call: “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday.”
The call immediately set emergency procedures in motion, with airport fire and rescue personnel, medical teams and other emergency responders placed on high alert as the aircraft prepared to return to Abuja.
According to the report, the jet departed Runway 22 at 4:17 pm UTC before the crew alerted air traffic control to the unfolding emergency. The approach radar controller subsequently directed the aircraft back to the airport for an emergency landing.
The drama continued at about 4:29 pm UTC when the crew, still in contact with the control tower, asked whether controllers could establish if the door was open.
The duty air traffic controller reportedly attempted to inspect the aircraft with binoculars but could not determine the door’s condition because of its position.
“The crew was subsequently informed that the controller could not confirm the situation visually,” the report stated.
With the emergency response teams standing by, the aircraft eventually touched down safely on Runway 22 at approximately 4:34 pm UTC — about 14 minutes after the Mayday call.
But the full extent of the incident became clearer after landing.
The duty controller observed that the aircraft’s door was missing from the fuselage, confirming that the jet had lost the component during flight.
The aircraft was subsequently taxied to the international apron extension and parked with the assistance of a marshaller.
Meanwhile, a dramatic video obtained by the media showed what was reportedly the missing aircraft door, recovered by farmers from a farm in the Abuja area.
In the video, a man whose identity could not be established said the farmers stumbled upon the door while returning from their farm.
“This is what we found as we were returning from our farm. It fell from a plane, but we don’t know much about its identity. As I am sending it to you, sir, just check it,” he said.
The number of passengers and crew on board the aircraft could not be immediately confirmed as of the time of filing this report.
The Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Michael Achimugu, confirmed the incident but declined to comment further, saying the matter fell within the jurisdiction of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau.
Although the NSIB had yet to issue an official statement, a reliable source within the agency confirmed the seriousness of the incident, disclosing that the bureau’s management had deployed investigators.
The source said an official statement would be released in due course.
Triton Aviation, the aircraft’s operator, could not be reached for comment as of the time of filing this report.
The circumstances surrounding the door’s loss, including what caused it to separate from the aircraft and whether anyone was endangered on the ground, remain unclear pending the outcome of the investigation.
Panic in Abuja as Private Jet Loses Door Mid-Air, Declares Mayday
