Strange! Nigerian airline hit 5 times by bird strike in less than 4 months

This is weird and discomforting.  United Nigeria Airlines Thursday,  recorded its third bird strike in less than 48 hours, grounding another Embraer 190 and setting what industry watchers call an unprecedented safety disruption for the carrier.

The latest incident occurred during take-off of Flight UN0561 from Benin City Airport to Abuja’s Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at 16:20 on Thursday, April 16, 2026, damaging the Nose Landing Gear door linkage, the airline said in a statement on Friday.

The aircraft has been immediately withdrawn from service for detailed technical inspections and maintenance, consistent with the airline’s safety standards.

This brings to seven the number of bird strikes United Nigeria has suffered in 2026 alone. However, the airline noted it only reports strikes that result in aircraft being grounded due to damage.

Calling the pattern “extremely concerning and unacceptable,” Public Relations Officer Chibuike Uloka,, said the rapid succession of three groundings within 48 hours has impacted safety and operational reliability.

United Nigeria urged the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria to strengthen wildlife hazard management measures across major airports to minimize the risk of such occurrences.

The airline apologized to passengers for service disruptions and said its team is working to minimize impact and support affected travelers, stressing that safety remains its highest priority.