…the current United Nigeria Airlines bird strike situation follows an earlier online report less than 48 hours ago.
BENIN CITY, NIGERIA — The iNews Times reports that the United Nigeria Airlines bird strike incidents have risen sharply, with the carrier confirming a third case within 48 hours, further disrupting operations and raising fresh safety concerns across Nigeria’s aviation sector.
In a statement issued Friday and signed by the airline’s Public Relations Officer, Chibuike Uloka, United Nigeria Airlines disclosed that the latest bird strike involved one of its Embraer 190 aircraft during take-off from Benin City Airport en route to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
According to the airline, the incident occurred during the departure of Flight UN0561 at about 16:20 hours on Thursday, April 16, 2026. The impact reportedly damaged the aircraft’s Nose Landing Gear (NLG) door linkage, forcing the airline to immediately withdraw the aircraft from service.
The airline described the growing bird strike incidents as alarming, revealing that three aircraft have now been grounded in less than two days due to similar occurrences.
“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,” the statement read.
Industry observers note that bird strikes, though relatively common in aviation globally, become a major concern when frequency rises within a short period, as seen in this case.
United Nigeria Airlines emphasized that it maintains strict safety standards and would never compromise passenger welfare.
“Consistent with our strict and uncompromising safety standards, the aircraft has been immediately withdrawn from operations, as with previous incidents, to allow for detailed technical inspections and all necessary maintenance before returning to service,” the airline stated.
The carrier clarified that it only publicly reports bird strike incidents that result in aircraft being grounded due to structural or mechanical damage.
This policy, according to the airline, is aimed at maintaining transparency without causing unnecessary alarm over minor incidents that do not affect safety or operations.
The current United Nigeria Airlines bird strike situation follows an earlier online report less than 48 hours ago indicating that one of the airline’s CRJ-900 aircraft had also been grounded after a similar encounter.
Between January and April 2026 alone, six aircraft belonging to the airline were reportedly grounded due to bird strike damage before this latest incident pushed the figure higher.
Additionally, United Nigeria Airlines confirmed that another aircraft an Airbus A320-200 operating Flight UN0515 from Port Harcourt experienced a bird strike impacting its nose section while scheduled to land at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport around 3:45 pm.
In that case, all safety protocols were observed and the aircraft landed safely.
A bird strike occurs when a bird collides with an aircraft during flight operations, most commonly during take-off or landing phases when aircraft operate at lower altitudes.
Globally, aviation authorities classify bird strikes as wildlife hazards, and airports are required to implement wildlife management programmes to reduce risks.
Bird strikes can damage engines, windshields, fuselage sections, or landing gear components. In extreme cases, such as the 2009 US Airways Flight 1549 incident in New York, bird ingestion into engines led to emergency landings.
While Nigeria has not recorded disasters of similar magnitude in recent years, repeated incidents can significantly affect airline scheduling, fleet availability, and operational costs.
United Nigeria Airlines has now called on the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to urgently strengthen wildlife hazard management measures across major airports.
“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,” the airline stated.
Wildlife hazard control typically involves habitat management, bird dispersal techniques, grass maintenance, radar monitoring, and collaboration with environmental agencies.
Aviation experts argue that coordinated efforts between airlines and airport authorities are critical to mitigating the risks associated with bird strikes.
United Nigeria Airlines apologised to passengers affected by cancellations and delays resulting from the grounded aircraft.
“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,” the statement added.
Operational disruptions often lead to flight rescheduling, aircraft swaps, and potential financial losses for airlines already grappling with rising fuel costs and foreign exchange pressures.
The rising bird strike incidents come at a time when Nigeria’s aviation industry is working to rebuild passenger confidence and improve safety benchmarks.
Repeated wildlife encounters within such a short period may prompt broader regulatory reviews and collaborative safety audits between airlines and aviation authorities.
At The iNews Times, we will continue to monitor developments surrounding this unfolding aviation safety concern, providing timely and fact-based updates to our readers.
As Nigeria’s airspace grows busier, stakeholders will be watching closely to see how airport authorities respond to the airline’s call for urgent intervention.
