A private jet associated with Nigerian oil and energy executive, Kola Karim lost its main cabin door minutes after departing Abuja on Thursday, forcing an emergency return to the airport. All nine people on board survived without injuries.

The aircraft, a 21-year-old Bombardier Challenger 604 registered T7-SEI and operated by Triton Aviation, took off from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport bound for Lagos as flight DWC052. Roughly three nautical miles from the airport and climbing through about 3,000 to 3,500 feet, the crew declared a Mayday after the door separated in flight.

Air traffic controllers directed the jet back to Abuja, where it landed safely on Runway 22 approximately 14 to 17 minutes after the distress call.

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) confirmed that three crew members and six passengers were on board. Director-General Captain Alex Badeh Jr. stated that the detached door was recovered from farmland near Abuja and has been secured at the bureau’s wreckage hangar.

The NSIB has opened an investigation into the circumstances of the separation.

The jet is linked to Shoreline Energy International, the energy and infrastructure group founded by Kola Karim, who serves as chairman of Shoreline Natural Resources Limited. Aircraft records indicate Shoreline acquired the Challenger around May 2024. The aircraft is registered in San Marino and was previously registered in Bermuda as VP-BJM.

UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch records show that the same airframe, then registered VP-BJM, suffered four flight-control failures involving its stabiliser trim system within four months in 2005. The incidents, which occurred while the aircraft was less than a year old, forced emergency diversions to Toulouse, Beirut, and London Heathrow. Investigators attributed the problems to moisture contamination and improper installation of the Horizontal Stabiliser Trim Control Unit. Bombardier later issued service bulletins, and regulators ordered corrective actions across the affected Challenger 604 fleet. There is no established connection between the 2005 stabiliser issues and the 2026 door separation.

The incident has drawn attention to maintenance practices and oversight of foreign-registered private jets operating in Nigeria.

The NSIB investigation is ongoing and is expected to examine mechanical, maintenance, and operational factors that led to the door’s separation.