United Nigeria Airlines has withdrawn an Embraer 190 aircraft from service after it suffered a bird strike while arriving at Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, disrupting some scheduled flights.
The airline disclosed the incident in a statement published on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, saying the affected aircraft was operating Flight UN0523 when it arrived at the Lagos airport on Tuesday.
According to the carrier, a post-flight inspection conducted after the aircraft landed detected evidence of a bird strike on the aircraft’s right engine at 21:40 UTC.
United Nigeria said the aircraft was immediately withdrawn from service in line with its safety procedures and would undergo further inspection and any necessary maintenance before returning to operation.
“In line with our safety protocols, the aircraft has been withdrawn from service as it undergoes further inspection and maintenance,” the airline said.
The carrier warned that the withdrawal would affect its operating schedule and result in disruptions to some flights across its network.
It apologised to affected passengers and said its teams were providing assistance to travellers whose journeys had been disrupted.
“We are deeply sorry for the inconvenience this has caused to our valued passengers. Be rest assured that those affected are provided with full support,” the airline said.
Passengers requiring additional assistance were advised to contact United Nigeria’s customer service team.
The latest incident adds to a series of bird strikes involving United Nigeria aircraft in 2026.
The airline has reported several such occurrences this year, including incidents involving Airbus A320s, a CRJ-900 and an Embraer 190.
In April, three United Nigeria aircraft were reported to have been grounded because of bird strikes within about 48 hours, with the carrier saying the repeated incidents were disrupting its operations.
The airline had also reported in February that bird strikes had grounded four of its aircraft in less than two months, prompting discussions with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria over the growing operational challenge.
Another incident in March involved an Airbus A320 operating a flight from Asaba to Lagos. The aircraft was withdrawn for comprehensive inspection, with the airline warning that some flights would not operate as scheduled.
The recurring incidents have renewed attention on the management of wildlife hazards around Nigerian airports.
Bird strikes are a recognised aviation risk, particularly during take-off and landing, when aircraft operate at relatively low altitudes. Depending on the point of impact, a collision can damage engines, windscreens, landing gear or other aircraft components and force an aircraft out of service.
The incidents can also impose significant costs on airlines through repairs, aircraft downtime, engineering deployments and passenger disruptions.
For United Nigeria, the latest grounding comes against a backdrop of repeated bird-strike-related disruptions, keeping the effectiveness of wildlife-control measures at Nigerian airports under scrutiny.
For now, the airline said the affected Embraer 190 would remain out of service until the required inspections and maintenance have been completed.
