The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau has launched an investigation into an incident involving a private jet that lost a door mid-air shortly after taking off from Abuja for Lagos.
The foreign-registered Challenger 604, operated by Triton Aviation, was about three nautical miles from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and climbing through 3,500 feet when the crew declared a Mayday after the door separated from the aircraft.
The aircraft, with registration number T7-SEI, had departed Abuja at 16:12 UTC on Thursday before the incident forced it to return to the airport.
According to the NSIB, the aircraft landed safely on Runway 22 at 16:34 UTC, with all nine people on board; three crew members and six passengers — accounted for.
The bureau’s Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, Alex Badeh Jr., said the missing door had been recovered and secured at its wreckage hangar.
In a statement issued on Friday, the NSIB said it had commenced an investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The occurrence reportedly triggered an emergency response at the Abuja airport, with fire and rescue personnel and medical teams placed on standby ahead of the aircraft’s return.
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority had earlier confirmed the incident and stated that the investigation fell within the NSIB’s mandate.
The bureau said it would provide further updates as the investigation progressed.
