Boeing 737-700 en route Lagos–Port Harcourt makes precautionary landing; all 80 passengers safely disembarked.

An Arik Air flight en route from Lagos to Port Harcourt was forced to divert mid-journey on Tuesday after a loud bang was heard from one of its engines.

The aircraft, a Boeing 737-700 with registration number 5N-MJF, was operating flight W3 740 when the incident occurred. According to the airline, the operating crew heard the noise from the left engine while the plane was descending into the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa.

As a precautionary measure, the pilots immediately diverted the aircraft to Benin Airport, where it landed safely.

Arik Air’s Corporate Communications Manager, Adebanji Ola, confirmed the development in a statement, assuring the public that no injuries were recorded.

“All 80 passengers and crew members disembarked safely,” the statement said, adding that arrangements had been made to transport affected passengers to Port Harcourt.

The airline apologised for the disruption to passengers’ travel plans, reiterating that safety remains its top priority.

“We sincerely apologise to the affected Port Harcourt passengers whose journey has been disrupted. The safety and well-being of passengers is always our priority at Arik Air,” the statement added.