Passengers onboard a Royal Air Maroc flight (AT 554) from Lagos to Casablanca, Morocco, endured a panic-filled ordeal on Easter Monday after the aircraft attempted an unscheduled diversion to Marrakech, another major city in the country.
The flight departed Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at 7:05 a.m., with a scheduled arrival in Casablanca at 11:30 a.m. The journey proceeded normally until the cabin crew announced that the aircraft would make an unscheduled stop in Marrakech to pick up additional passengers, a development that surprised travellers who had expected a direct flight.
Shortly after the announcement, the aircraft began to shake violently as it attempted to adjust course to Marrakech. Passengers were gripped by fear, clutching seats, praying, and screaming the name of Jesus.
The aircraft appeared nearly half empty, which made passengers perceive that it was all about profit for the airline.
Cabin crew later apologised for the huge inconvenience but offered no detailed explanation for the development.
“They want to make more money at the expense of our lives,” one passenger, who requested not to be named in print, due to the nature of the incident, told our correspondent. “My only prayer was for us to land safely. I was watching everything from the window; it was beyond chaotic.”
The Nigerian traveller, who flies nine times a year between Africa’s most populous nation and the United States, said he had never experienced anything like it. The man added that the turbulence felt as though the plane could barely handle the air pressure en route to Marrakech, but the crew eventually managed to revert to the original route to Casablanca.
After landing safely in Casablanca, attempts by our correspondent to speak with the pilot were unsuccessful. A crew member said he would check with his supervisor and returned shortly, explaining that the pilot was attending to operational duties and would join shortly. The pilot, however, did not come forward, and no further clarification was provided.
Aviation regulations from major authorities like the Federal Aviation Administration, UK Civil Aviation Authority, and International Civil Aviation Organisation allow aircraft to divert, meaning to land at an airport other than the planned destination, but only for certain reasons related to safety, weather, technical problems, onboard emergencies, or airport or airspace issues. These are not random business decisions like picking up passengers to fill the aircraft.
According to experts, flight plans are filed in advance and must specify destinations and alternates. Deviating to load extra passengers at a place not in the flight plan would require clearance from every country involved and must still meet operational safety requirements.
A Senior Reporter at TechCabal, Temitayo Jayeola, who was also on the flight, described the experience as life-threatening. “I said my last prayer,” he recounted, recalling the tense moments when the plane jolted and dipped mid-air.
Another passenger shared a harrowing account of the turbulence. “The plane was trying to force itself into the weather,” he said. “Instead of going this direction, it veered another way. I was observing it, and it was dropping; if you force it, it could have ended in a crash. When you are flying, try to watch the map to know exactly where the pilot is going. If the wind had broken the plane, there was no way we would have survived.”
There are currently no direct flights from Lagos to Marrakech. Most flights from Lagos to Marrakech require at least one stop.
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