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The United Nigeria Airlines has confirmed another bird strike involving one of its aircraft on Friday, bringing the total to three incidents within 48 hours.
A statement signed and issued by the airline’s Public Relations Officer, Chibuike Uloka, said the airline’s latest incident involved its Embraer 190 aircraft during take-off from Benin City Airport en route to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
“United Nigeria Airlines regrets to inform our valued passengers and the general public of yet another bird strike on our Embraer 190 aircraft.
“The incident occurred during take-off of Flight UN0561 from Benin City Airport to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, scheduled for 16:20 hours on Thursday, 16 April 2026, and damaged the Nose Landing Gear (NLG) door linkage of the aircraft,” the statement read.
The airline explained that the frequency of the incidents is alarming, and the recent occurrence has disrupted its operations.
“This latest occurrence increases the number of aircraft grounded due to bird strikes to three (3) in less than 48 hours, marking the seventh such incident in 2026, an extremely concerning and unacceptable pattern given its impact on safety and operational reliability,” it noted.
According to the airline, the affected aircraft has been taken out of service in accordance with its safety procedures, and the airline has called on the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to take immediate action to address the recurring issue.
The airline apologised to passengers affected by the disruptions and appealed for understanding.
