Max Air Limited has confirmed that one of its domestic flights operating from Abuja to Katsina made an air return shortly after takeoff following the detection of an engine-related anomaly.
In a statement issued by the airline’s management, Flight VM1620, which departed the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on Monday, May 11, 2026, was forced to return about 15 minutes after departure when the crew of aircraft 5N-DAB, a Boeing 737-300 observed an indication suggesting an engine malfunction.
Daily Trust reports that the video of the incident had gone viral, with some passengers describing it as a near crash experience.
According to one of the passengers, a few minutes into the flight they started hearing a strange sound and the pilot had to return to Abuja.
It was learnt that many dignitaries were on board the flight including the son of the Max Air founder, Alhaji Dahiru Mangal.
‘We thank God for landing safely. It wasn’t a funny experience. We thought the aircraft was going to drop,’ the passenger said.
However, the airline played down the incident, explaining that the pilots acted in line with standard aviation safety procedures by immediately returning the aircraft to Abuja.
According to the statement, the aircraft landed safely and all passengers and crew members disembarked without any injury or incident.
Max Air further disclosed that it swiftly arranged a replacement aircraft, identified as 5N-DMK, which was deployed from Kano to Abuja to continue operations on the Abuja-Katsina route and other scheduled services.
The airline stated that its engineering and technical teams had already commenced a comprehensive assessment of the affected aircraft in accordance with regulatory standards and safety protocols.
It also noted that it remains in close communication with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and would fully cooperate with any review or investigation arising from the incident.
Reaffirming its commitment to passenger safety, Max Air said it would continue to prioritise operational safety, service quality and continuous improvement across its operations.
The airline thanked passengers for their understanding and continued patronage.
As of the time of this report, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) is yet to issue a statement on the incident.