In Nigeria, a Boeing 737 lost its engine skin mid-flight (2 photos + 2 videos)
Passengers on the Lagos-Port Harcourt flight received a dose of adrenaline they clearly didn't sign up for when they purchased their tickets. 
On February 11, 2026, Arik Air Flight W3 740, a Boeing 737-700 (manufactured in 2007), operating from Lagos to Port Harcourt, made an emergency landing at Benin Airport.
A quiet flight over Nigeria was interrupted by a loud sound, which made the view from the window resemble a scene from a disaster movie. At an altitude of 8,200 meters, a loud bang was heard, followed by the Boeing 737-700's right engine suddenly exposing its insides. The prematurely gray-haired passengers managed to create some spectacular content, which went viral online.
Apparently, due to metal fatigue or faulty locks, the oncoming airflow caught the panel and peeled it off like an orange peel. The sound, which the passengers mistook for an explosion, was actually the impact of a multi-kilogram piece of metal hitting the fuselage and tail of the aircraft.
The aircraft was 19 years old at the time of the incident (manufactured in 2007). This isn't a death sentence for aviation, but in Nigeria's hot and humid climate, maintaining such equipment requires special care.
There were 80 people on board. Despite the frightening sight of the mangled engine from the window, the pilots calmly shut down the damaged engine and decided to land at the nearest airport.
The landing at Benin Airport went surprisingly smoothly. Despite the visibly terrible state of the engine, none of the 80 people were injured, save for some gray hair and a strong desire to travel by train next time.
