United Nigeria Airlines records third bird strike in 48 hours

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United Nigeria Airlines has confirmed another bird strike involving one of its aircraft, bringing the total number of such incidents affecting its operations to three within 48 hours.

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In a statement signed by the airline’s Public Relations Officer, Chibuike Uloka, and issued on Friday, the airline said the latest incident involved its Embraer 190 aircraft during take-off from Benin City Airport en route to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

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The statement read, “United Nigeria Airlines regrets to inform our valued passengers and the general public of yet another bird strike on our Embraer 190 aircraft.

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“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.”

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The airline described the frequency of the incidents as alarming, noting that the development has further disrupted its operations.

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It added, “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.”

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According to the airline, the affected aircraft has been withdrawn from service in line with its safety procedures.

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It stated, “Consistent with our strict and uncompromising safety standards, the aircraft has been immediately withdrawn from operations, as with previous incidents, to allow for detailed technical inspections and all necessary maintenance before returning to service.”

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The airline clarified that it only reports bird strike incidents that result in aircraft being grounded.

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It said, “While our operating aircraft have experienced multiple bird strike incidents, we report only those that have resulted in aircraft being grounded due to damage to part(s).”

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United Nigeria Airlines also called on the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria to take urgent action to address the recurring issue.

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It urged, “We urge the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to strengthen wildlife hazard management measures across major airports to minimise the risk of such occurrences.”

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Apologising to passengers affected by the disruptions, the airline appealed for understanding.

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It said, “We sincerely apologise to our valued passengers for any inconvenience to their travel plans resulting from service disruptions caused by multiple bird strikes. We kindly ask for your understanding, as safety remains our highest priority. Our team is working diligently to minimise disruptions and provide support to all affected travellers.”

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This follows a PUNCH Online report published less than 48 hours earlier, which noted that the airline had announced another bird strike involving one of its CRJ-900 aircraft, raising the number of its planes grounded due to similar incidents between January and April 2026 to 6.

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The airline added that the incident involved an Airbus A320-200 operating Flight UN0515 from Port Harcourt, which was scheduled to land at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at about 3:45 pm, with the bird strike impacting the aircraft’s nose section, although all safety protocols were duly observed.

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