Passengers aboard a Max Air flight travelling from Abuja to Katsina on Monday evening described scenes of panic after the aircraft developed a technical fault shortly after takeoff, forcing the pilot to return to Abuja.
The incident, which unsettled many passengers, reportedly occurred minutes after departure when loud banging noises were heard from the aircraft.
Witnesses said the plane briefly lost altitude and appeared unstable before the crew regained control.
A video posted on Facebook by Gwanda Munirat, media assistant to the Katsina State Governor, showed passengers gathered outside the aircraft after the emergency landing in Abuja.
Speaking in the video, Ms Munirat said the aircraft began shaking shortly after takeoff.
“A few minutes after takeoff, the aircraft suddenly started shaking violently and making loud banging noises. It was a very frightening experience, and many of us became scared because it felt like something was seriously wrong,” she said.
She added that the pilot later informed passengers that the flight would return to Abuja because of a technical issue.
“Thankfully, we landed safely and are now back on the ground standing in front of the aircraft,” she added.
According to her, several passengers, including government officials and other travellers heading to Katsina, were left stranded at the airport while awaiting further updates from the airline.
Another passenger, Obinna Chukwuezie, also shared his account of the experience on Facebook, describing the incident as deeply alarming.
“We boarded a Max Air flight from Abuja to Katsina, and less than 20 minutes into the journey, there was a loud bang and the aircraft suddenly dropped and began struggling to maintain balance,” he wrote.
“A few minutes later, there was another loud bang and I thought we were all gone.”
He said the pilot later announced an emergency return to Abuja as a precautionary safety measure.
An X user, Dr Zayyad Lamorde, also recounted the ordeal, describing it as his “first near-death experience onboard a Max Air flight.”
“I just had my first near death experience onboard a Max Air flight to Katsina after we heard a loud bang shortly after takeoff from Abuja,” he posted.
“The feeling of being helpless in the uncertainty of living or dying is wild. Alhamdulillah back to Abuja.”
As of the time this report was filed, Max Air had not issued an official statement regarding the incident.
The incident comes amid increasing public concern about operational reliability and safety within Nigeria’s aviation sector, with passengers frequently complaining about delays, disruptions and technical issues.
On 28 March, Max Air announced a temporary disruption to its Umrah operations after one of its aircraft was declared Aircraft on Ground (AOG) due to a technical fault.
At the time, the airline stated that the aircraft had been grounded for “necessary technical assessments and corrective actions,” while emphasising that passenger safety remained its top priority.
