United Nigeria Airlines grounds aircraft after third bird strike in 48 hours
United Nigeria Airlines has announced another bird strike involving its Embraer 190 aircraft, marking the third such incident within 48 hours.
The airline said the incident occurred during the takeoff of Flight UN0561 from Benin City Airport to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at about 4:20 p.m. on Thursday.
It stated that the bird strike damaged the nose landing gear (NLG) door linkage of the aircraft, forcing its immediate withdrawal from service for technical inspection and maintenance.
The development brings to seven the number of bird strike incidents recorded in 2026, with three aircraft grounded in less than two days due to similar occurrences.
In a statement by its spokesperson, Chibuike Uloka, the airline described the situation as “an extremely concerning and unacceptable pattern given its impact on safety and operational reliability”.
“Consistent with our strict and uncompromising safety standards, the aircraft has been immediately withdrawn from operations, as with previous incidents, to allow for detailed technical inspections and all necessary maintenance before returning to service,” the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.
It also noted that while multiple bird strike incidents have occurred across its fleet, it only reports cases that result in aircraft being grounded due to damage.
The airline urged the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to strengthen wildlife hazard management at airports nationwide to reduce the risk of future incidents.
