BY OLAPEJU OLUBI
United Nigeria Airlines has sounded the alarm over a surge in bird strike incidents, revealing that three of its aircraft have been grounded within 48 hours after separate encounters with birds, an escalation the carrier describes as “extremely concerning and unacceptable.”
In a press statement issued Friday, the airline confirmed that its Embraer 190 aircraft operating Flight UN0561 from Benin City to Abuja suffered a bird strike during take-off on Thursday, April 16, 2026.
The incident, which occurred at about 16:20 local time, damaged the aircraft’s Nose Landing Gear (NLG) door linkage, forcing its immediate withdrawal from service.
The latest disruption marks the third such occurrence in less than two days and brings the airline’s total number of bird strike incidents in 2026 to seven.
“United Nigeria Airlines regrets to inform our valued passengers and the general public of yet another bird strike on our Embraer 190 aircraft,” the airline said.
“This latest occurrence increases the number of aircraft grounded due to bird strikes to three (3) in less than 48 hours, an extremely concerning and unacceptable pattern given its impact on safety and operational reliability.”
Bird strikes, collisions between aircraft and birds, are a known hazard in global aviation, particularly during take-off and landing phases.
However, the clustering of incidents within such a short window has raised fresh concerns about wildlife hazard management at Nigerian airports.
The airline emphasized that, in line with its “strict and uncompromising safety standards,” the affected aircraft has been immediately pulled from operations for detailed technical inspections and necessary maintenance. It added that only incidents resulting in grounded aircraft are publicly reported, suggesting the total number of encounters may be higher.
The spate of disruptions has inevitably affected flight schedules, with passengers experiencing delays and cancellations. The airline acknowledged the inconvenience and appealed for patience.
“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,” the statement read.
United Nigeria Airlines also called on the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to urgently enhance wildlife control measures across major airports to mitigate the growing risk.
Industry observers note that effective bird strike prevention requires coordinated efforts, including habitat management, bird surveillance systems, and stricter enforcement of environmental controls around airport vicinities.
As investigations continue, the recent incidents have once again spotlighted infrastructure and safety management gaps within Nigeria’s aviation ecosystem, raising questions about how quickly authorities can respond to prevent further disruptions and ensure passenger safety.
Olapeju is a journalist and aviation reporter.
