A major aviation disaster was averted on Thursday after a Bombardier Challenger 600 (CL60) private jet operated by Triton Aviation suffered a mid-air structural emergency shortly after takeoff from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The aircraft, bearing registration number T7-SEI and flight identification DWC052, was en route to Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos when its main cabin door detached in mid-flight at approximately 4:20 p.m. UTC. Official incident reports indicate that the jet had departed Runway 22 at 4:17 p.m. UTC and was climbing through 3,000 feet, roughly three nautical miles from the airport, when the flight crew declared a “Mayday” distress call to Air Traffic Control.
The pilot alerted approach radar controllers that an aircraft door had blown open, prompting immediate emergency vectoring to guide the jet back to the airport. Ground emergency units, including airfield fire services and medical teams, were immediately deployed and stationed at tactical positions along the runway in anticipation of a high-risk landing.
Communication logs reveal that at around 4:29 p.m. UTC, the flight crew contacted the Abuja control tower asking if controllers could visually confirm whether the door was entirely open. Tower personnel attempted to observe the jet using binoculars but were unable to determine the door’s condition due to the aircraft’s angle and distance, informing the crew accordingly.
The plane subsequently executed a successful emergency landing at NAIA with no immediate casualties reported. Shortly after the incident, video footage surfaced online showing local farmers on the outskirts of the Federal Capital Territory inspecting the detached door in a rural field. In the recording, an eyewitness explained that they discovered the heavy component while returning from their farm after hearing it fall from the sky.
As of press time, the exact count of passengers and crew members aboard the aircraft remains unconfirmed, and attempts to reach representatives of Triton Aviation for comment were unsuccessful. When contacted regarding the event, Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), confirmed the development but noted that official details would follow from the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau.
