The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has launched an investigation into the separation of an aircraft door involving a Challenger 604 operated by Triton.

In a statement, the Bureau said the aircraft, with registration number T7-SEI, was flying from Abuja to Lagos when its crew declared a mayday after the door separated at an altitude of 3,500 feet.

The aircraft subsequently returned to Abuja and landed safely on Runway 22. All nine persons on board, comprising three crew members and six passengers, were accounted for.

The NSIB said the separated door had been recovered and secured as investigators began work to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The Bureau said further updates would be provided as the investigation progresses.

The incident comes less than two weeks after a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft crashed near Igbokoda in Ondo State on October 5, killing all 25 people on board. The aircraft was on a routine mission from Benin City to Lagos when it crashed in a swampy area.

The Nigerian Air Force has since set up a 12-member board to investigate the crash, while the Senate and House of Representatives have moved to examine aircraft maintenance and safety concerns.

In July, an Enugu Air aircraft also veered off the runway after landing at Benin Airport. The Embraer E170, which was flying from Lagos to Benin, had 68 people on board, all of whom survived without injuries. The NSIB launched an investigation into the incident, which it later linked in a preliminary report to several factors, including an inoperative autobrake system.

The latest incident adds to renewed attention on aviation safety and the need for thorough investigations into aircraft occurrences in Nigeria. (Channels TV)