United Nigeria Airlines has announced another bird strike on its Embraer 190 aircraft.
It stated that the incident occurred during the takeoff of Flight UN0561 from Benin City Airport to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, scheduled for 16:20 p.m. on Thursday, 16 April 2026.
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The airline said that the bird strike damaged the nose landing gear (NLG) door linkage of the aircraft.
The latest occurrence increases the number of aircraft grounded due to bird strikes to three in less than 48-hours, marking the seventh such incident in 2026.
The company, in a statement by its spokesperson, Public Relations Officer, Chibuike Uloka, 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“Consistent with our strict and uncompromising safety standards, the aircraft has been immediately withdrawn from operations, as with previous incidents, to allow for detailed technical inspections and all necessary maintenance before returning to service,” it stated.
The airline also said that while its operating aircraft had experienced multiple bird strike incidents, it reported only those that had resulted in aircraft being grounded due to damage.
“We urge the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to strengthen wildlife hazard management measures across major airports to minimize the risk of such occurrences.
“We sincerely apologize 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 minimize disruptions and provide support to all affected travelers,” it added.
United Nigeria Airlines had grounded one of its aircraft, CRJ-900, after a bird strike incident during the landing of Flight UN0579 from Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Tuesday.
A statement by the company’s spokesperson noted that the affected flight was scheduled for 18:15 p.m.
As a result, the company said that the aircraft had been immediately withdrawn from operations to undergo comprehensive technical inspections and any required maintenance before being returned to service, in line with its safety standards.
The incident also affected some flights across its network.
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