An Arik Air Boeing 737-700 operating a domestic service from Lagos to Port Harcourt was forced to make an emergency diversion to Benin Airport on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, after a major malfunction in its left engine mid-flight. The flight, operating as W3 740 from Murtala Muhammed International Airport, landed safely in Benin City with all passengers and crew unharmed, bringing a tense episode for those on board to a calm conclusion and triggering a formal safety investigation by Nigeria’s air accident authorities.
The Incident: Loud Bang, Sudden Anomaly, Swift Diversion
The aircraft, a Boeing 737-700 registered 5N-MJF, departed Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on a routine morning service bound for Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa. On board were about 80 passengers and crew, many of them business travelers and commuters on one of Nigeria’s busiest domestic corridors.
According to statements later released by Arik Air and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), the flight was already well into its journey when the situation changed abruptly. As the jet neared the Port Harcourt area and entered its descent phase, passengers and crew reported hearing a loud bang from the left side of the aircraft, coinciding with abnormal indications from the left engine on the flight deck.
Pilots immediately initiated standard emergency protocols. With the left engine showing signs of serious malfunction and, according to initial assessments, likely sustaining substantial damage, the crew shut the engine down as a precaution. Rather than continue toward Port Harcourt, they opted to divert to the nearest suitable airport with adequate runway length and emergency services, selecting Benin Airport in Benin City as the safest option.
Despite the dramatic sounds and the clear concern in the cabin, the remainder of the flight unfolded under strict professional control. The aircraft descended toward Benin City on one operational engine and touched down without further incident, coming to a safe stop on the runway while emergency services stood by.
Passengers Safe and Calm After Tense Moments On Board
Arik Air confirmed in an official statement that all 80 passengers and crew disembarked safely in Benin, with no injuries reported. Cabin crew oversaw a calm but expedited disembarkation process, and airport emergency responders conducted visual checks around the aircraft as passengers were escorted into the terminal building.
Accounts from those on board described an initial wave of fear and confusion when the loud bang was heard, followed by a period of anxious quiet as the cabin crew moved through the aisle performing checks and the captain addressed the passengers over the public address system. Travelers reported that the flight deck crew explained that an engine issue had occurred and that the aircraft was diverting as a safety measure, helping to ease rising tension in the cabin.
For many passengers, the landing at Benin Airport felt significantly more intense than a typical arrival, with every motion of the aircraft drawing heightened attention. Yet the approach and touchdown were described as controlled and steady, underscoring how commercial airliners are designed to fly and land safely even in the event of an engine shutdown on one side.
Once on the ground, Arik Air staff and airport personnel began arranging onward travel and support. The airline apologized for the disruption but reiterated that the diversion decision prioritized passenger safety above all else, a stance that many travelers, though rattled, acknowledged as necessary.
Airline and Authorities Respond: Safety First, Questions Later
Within hours of the incident, Arik Air’s corporate communications team confirmed key details of the event: the flight number W3 740, the aircraft registration 5N-MJF, the loud bang from the left engine, and the diversion to Benin Airport. The airline stressed that the crew acted in strict compliance with established safety procedures, emphasizing that the captain and first officer took no chances once the engine anomaly was detected.
Arik Air also announced that arrangements had been made to transport affected passengers onward to Port Harcourt, either via alternative flights or ground transport. While specific timing and logistics were not immediately disclosed, the airline signaled that its operations and customer relations teams were coordinating to minimize delays and inconvenience for travelers whose journeys had been unexpectedly interrupted.
In a separate statement, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau confirmed that the incident met the threshold for a formal safety investigation. The Bureau described the occurrence as an in-flight engine problem that led to a precautionary shutdown and diversion, and confirmed that preliminary observations at Benin Airport pointed to significant damage to the affected engine.
Both the airline and the NSIB underscored that passenger and crew safety remained the central focus, and that no injuries had been recorded. As is standard in aviation, more detailed technical conclusions would have to wait until investigators could secure and examine the aircraft, its damaged engine, and its onboard data recorders.
NSIB Investigation: From Engine Damage to Data Recorders
The NSIB has initiated a full investigation in line with international aviation protocols, including provisions under ICAO Annex 13, which govern the reporting and analysis of air incidents and accidents. A preliminary assessment team has been dispatched to Benin Airport to secure the aircraft, protect evidence, and begin the detailed work of reconstructing exactly what happened on flight W3 740.
Key tasks for investigators will include a thorough visual inspection of the left engine and surrounding structures, documentation of any visible damage, and an assessment of whether components detached or were penetrated during the event. Reports emerging shortly after landing suggested the engine sustained substantial damage, though official confirmation of the extent and specific nature of that damage will only come after detailed technical analysis.
Investigators will also retrieve data from the aircraft’s flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder. These systems are expected to provide a precise timeline of engine performance parameters, cockpit alerts, crew reactions, and communications in the moments before and after the loud bang was heard. Such data is crucial in determining whether the malfunction resulted from a mechanical failure, material fatigue, foreign object damage, maintenance oversight, or an interaction of multiple factors.
The NSIB has indicated that it will coordinate closely with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Arik Air’s technical teams, and the engine and airframe manufacturers. A preliminary report is expected within about 30 days, setting out factual findings and initial safety observations, with a more comprehensive final report to follow once all evidence has been examined and any necessary laboratory or metallurgical testing has been completed.
Technical Context: How a Boeing 737 Handles Engine Failure
The incident over southern Nigeria serves as a real-world demonstration of the redundancy built into modern commercial aircraft. The Boeing 737-700, like other twin-engine jets, is certified to continue flight and land safely on a single engine in the event that one fails or must be shut down. Pilots undergo regular training in simulators to handle engine-out scenarios at various phases of flight, including cruise, approach, and takeoff.
When the crew of flight W3 740 detected abnormal indications from the left engine and heard the loud bang, their decision to shut down the engine would have followed checklists that prioritize stabilization of the aircraft, confirmation of the affected engine, and configuration for single-engine performance. With one engine out, the aircraft’s handling characteristics change, but within a range that pilots practice for and manage as part of standard emergency procedures.
The diversion to Benin Airport was also in keeping with global standards. When an aircraft loses an engine in flight, even if it is capable of continuing to its planned destination, regulatory guidelines and airline policies generally call for landing at the nearest suitable airport. Factors such as runway length, available emergency services, weather conditions, and terrain all play a role in selecting the diversion field.
In this case, Benin Airport offered a runway and support infrastructure adequate for a Boeing 737, making it a logical choice for the crew. The safe landing further underlined the principle that a severe technical issue on a modern jet, while frightening for those on board, does not automatically equate to catastrophe when aircraft design, pilot training, and safety protocols function as intended.
Impact on Arik Air, Domestic Travel, and Passenger Confidence
For Arik Air, one of Nigeria’s prominent domestic and regional carriers, the safe outcome of the diversion will be small comfort against the reality that any serious in-flight incident invites intense scrutiny. The airline will be expected to cooperate fully with investigators, provide access to maintenance records, engine performance data, and technical logs, and implement any safety recommendations that emerge from the NSIB’s findings.
The Lagos–Port Harcourt route is a vital business and travel link, and incidents on such heavily traveled corridors can resonate widely. In the short term, passengers may experience delays or aircraft substitutions while 5N-MJF remains grounded for inspection and repairs. However, airlines and regulators typically work to keep disruptions minimal, particularly when only a single aircraft is directly affected.
From a broader perspective, aviation safety experts often point out that the visibility of such events can paradoxically strengthen public confidence over time. When an engine failure or major malfunction occurs and the crew handles it successfully, passengers are reminded that multiple layers of defense exist between a technical problem and a tragic outcome. The combination of rigorous training, robust aircraft design, and independent investigation is the framework that keeps modern air travel among the safest modes of transportation.
Arik Air’s handling of passenger communication and care in the aftermath will also be closely watched. Transparent updates, clear information on rebooking and compensation, and a willingness to engage candidly with concerns about maintenance and fleet reliability can be just as important for restoring confidence as technical fixes in the hangar.
What Comes Next for Flight W3 740 and Nigerian Aviation
In the coming days, the damaged Boeing 737-700 will remain at Benin Airport under the control of investigators and technical teams. Engineers will likely remove the affected engine for detailed examination, either on site or at a specialized facility, while inspectors review the aircraft’s structural integrity, especially in the areas surrounding the engine nacelle and wing.
The NSIB’s preliminary report, expected within about a month, will provide initial answers to critical questions: what exactly failed inside the engine, whether any parts separated from the aircraft, how the crew responded in the cockpit, and how the aircraft systems behaved leading up to the shutdown and diversion. That report may also include immediate safety recommendations if investigators identify risks that require prompt industry-wide attention.
Longer term, the final investigation report could lead to changes in maintenance practices, inspection intervals, or component designs for similar engines and aircraft, depending on the root cause. It could also reinforce existing protocols if investigators conclude that procedures and technical standards worked exactly as intended.
For Nigerian aviation more broadly, the incident offers a reminder of the importance of robust safety oversight, transparent communication, and continued investment in infrastructure and training. The safe conclusion of Arik Air flight W3 740’s emergency diversion will be studied not only for what went wrong inside a single engine, but also for what went right in the coordinated response between crew, airline, airport authorities, and the national investigation bureau.
A Safe Landing After a Serious Scare
What began as a routine domestic flight from Murtala Muhammed Airport to Port Harcourt quickly turned into a serious test of Nigeria’s aviation safety system. A major malfunction in the left engine of an Arik Air Boeing 737-700, signaled by a loud bang and abnormal readings, forced the crew to make a rapid, high-stakes decision. Their choice to shut down the engine and divert to Benin Airport, backed by the aircraft’s design and emergency procedures, ensured that all 80 people on board walked away unharmed.
For the passengers, the incident will likely be remembered as a frightening but ultimately reassuring example of how modern aviation handles crisis: not without risk or fear, but with practiced professionalism and layers of protection. For investigators and regulators, it marks the beginning of a careful search for answers that will shape maintenance practices, operational guidance, and possibly future regulations.
As the NSIB team gets to work and Arik Air reviews its internal procedures, one fact stands out above all others. On a day when engine damage could have had far graver consequences, everyone on board flight W3 740 made it safely to the ground. In aviation, that outcome is never taken for granted, and it is the standard against which every investigation and every safety improvement will be measured in the weeks and months to come.