Lagos, Nigeria – A bird strike on an Air Peace flight from Lagos to Owerri forced the aircraft to make an emergency return to base on Saturday, marking the airline’s 34th such incident in 2025 and sparking renewed concerns over aviation safety.
Flight P47150 had only just departed from Lagos when a bird collided with the aircraft mid-air. As a precautionary measure, the pilot returned to Murtala Muhammed International Airport, and a replacement aircraft was later deployed to resume the journey.
In a statement released Sunday, Air Peace apologised to affected passengers and warned of potential delays across its route network.
“We regret to inform our valued passengers of ongoing flight disruptions on some of our route networks today. We empathise with our passengers over the inconvenience caused and appeal for your patience and understanding as we work diligently to minimise disruptions,” the statement read.
An airline official, speaking anonymously to ThisDay, expressed frustration at the frequency of bird strike incidents, emphasizing that many of the delays blamed on the airline are due to factors beyond its control.
“This is number 34 bird strike for this year alone. Please make this known to the public because passengers will blame the airline for delays and cancellations, but most of the causes of flight disruptions are beyond the airline,” the official said.
Last week, the airline experienced similar bird strikes on its Owerri and Port Harcourt routes, grounding affected aircraft for repairs. The latest incident adds to a growing tally—115 bird strikes reported by Air Peace across its domestic operations in the last five years.
While the financial and operational toll falls heavily on airlines, industry experts note that responsibility for preventing wildlife interference lies primarily with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
FAAN recently announced plans to adopt enhanced wildlife control measures around Nigerian airports, but airlines say the results are yet to materialise.
As bird strikes continue to disrupt aviation operations, calls are mounting for faster implementation of effective airfield wildlife management strategies across the country.
