Nigerian Plane With 141 People Aboard Is Reported Missing

LAGOS, Nigeria — A Nigerian jet carrying 141 people was missing Thursday after losing contact with air traffic controllers en route to this city. A search was underway.

The Aviation Development Corp., owners of the missing Boeing 727, said the plane lost contact with the airport in Lagos about midway through its 50-minute flight from the southern city of Port Harcourt.

Darkness hampered the search, raising the possibility nothing definite would be known until daylight.

ADC, one of several private commercial airlines operating domestic flights in the West African country, said Flight 086 was carrying 132 passengers and nine crew members. It did not indicate what the weather was in the area where the plane disappeared or say if the pilot had reported problems.