A Delta Airlines flight from Lagos to Atlanta was forced to make an emergency diversion to Accra, Ghana, after a fire broke out in the aircraft’s oven, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has confirmed.
The incident occurred on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, aboard Flight DL055, which had departed from Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, en route to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
According to NCAA spokesperson Michael Achinugu, the fire was quickly contained and posed no danger to passengers or crew. However, the unscheduled landing in Accra disrupted the flight schedule, as the crew exceeded their permitted duty time and could not continue the journey as planned.
Delta Airlines immediately activated contingency plans to manage the disruption. Some passengers were rebooked on the airline’s Accra-New York service on the same evening, while others were re-accommodated the following night.
“Flight DL055 LOS–ATL finally departed from Accra on September 25, 2025, at approximately 12:00hrs,” Achinugu confirmed.
In a related development, Delta cancelled its inbound Atlanta–Lagos service scheduled for Thursday, September 25. Although passengers were notified in advance, the airline provided hotel accommodation and ground transport for those who still reported at the airport.
To minimise inconvenience, 23 passengers were rebooked on Air France, while others were accommodated on British Airways, KLM, and Lufthansa flights. The remaining passengers were scheduled to travel on Delta’s regularly scheduled service on Friday, September 26, at 11:40 am.
Achinugu also dispelled speculation that an Air France Lagos flight had been cancelled. He clarified that the airline’s service would operate as scheduled at 1:30 am. “Contrary to earlier reports, the Air France flight from Lagos has not been cancelled but is expected to operate at 01:30hrs,” he stated.
Achinugu, who was attending meetings in Montreal at the time of the disruption, noted that he had to step out frequently to make calls and provide updates. He assured passengers that follow-up measures were ongoing and encouraged affected travellers to reach out for further assistance if necessary.
While the fire incident sparked concerns, aviation experts have stressed that the diversion and subsequent handling reflected adherence to global safety standards. By swiftly containing the fire and prioritising crew duty limits, Delta demonstrated compliance with international aviation regulations.
The NCAA reiterated its commitment to ensuring that airlines operating in Nigeria continue to uphold the highest levels of passenger safety and service reliability. Though the incident caused delays and disruptions, the authority emphasised that all passengers were eventually accommodated and that the event underscored the resilience of aviation safety protocols in managing unforeseen occurrences.
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