United Nigeria Airlines has said it has experienced another bird strike on its Embraer 190 aircraft during take-off of Flight UN0561 from Benin City Airport to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on Thursday.
The incident damaged the Nose Landing Gear (NLG) door linkage of the aircraft.
This 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—an extremely concerning and unacceptable pattern given its impact on safety and operational reliability.
Consistent with its strict and uncompromising safety standards, the airline said it has grounded the aircraft and immediately withdrawn from operations to allow for detailed technical inspections and all necessary maintenance before returning to service.
“While our operating aircraft have experienced multiple bird strike incidents, we report only those that have resulted in aircraft being grounded due to damage parts. We urge the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria 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.”, statement signed by Chibuike Uloka, Public Relations Officer for the airline said.
