United Nigeria Airlines Grounds Two Aircraft Following Double Incident Involving Jet Blast and Bird Strike

United Nigeria Airlines faces fleet crisis after a jet blast damages an Embraer 190 in Lagos and an Airbus A320 hits a bird. Major flight disruptions reported.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 30, 2026, 4:21 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from The Sun Nigeria

Ramp Accident at Murtala Muhammed International Airport

The first of two back-to-back incidents for United Nigeria Airlines occurred at the domestic terminal (MM2) in Lagos. An Embraer 190, which had recently arrived from Enugu, was parked on the ramp being prepared for its next flight. According to an airline statement, a nearby aircraft performing a taxiing maneuver generated a powerful jet blast that displaced a ground handling baggage trolley. The heavy metal trolley was propelled into the parked UNA aircraft, striking the forward fuselage and causing visible damage to the antenna and the area near the nose landing gear.

Safety Protocols and Damage Assessment

Fortunately, no passengers were on board the Embraer 190 at the time of the impact, and no ground crew injuries were reported. In line with strict aviation safety standards, United Nigeria Airlines immediately withdrew the vessel from its flight schedule. The airline emphasized that the event was entirely outside its control but necessitated a "full and comprehensive inspection" to ensure structural integrity before the aircraft can be cleared to return to the skies.

Mid-Air Bird Strike Near Asaba

Barely hours after the ground incident in Lagos, the airline suffered a second blow. An Airbus A320, operating Flight UN0509 from Asaba International Airport to Lagos, encountered a bird strike on one of its engines. While the flight landed safely in Lagos, the engine required immediate technical evaluation. Bird strikes remain a significant challenge for Nigerian aviation, often occurring during critical phases of flight and requiring expensive, time-consuming inspections of turbine blades and internal engine components.