The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) confirmed the crash landing of a Cessna 172 chartered aircraft operated by Skypower Express at the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri, Imo.
Four persons escaped death as the aircraft, which was en route Port Harcourt International Airport from Kaduna International Airport, made an emergency landing at the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport.
This disclosure is contained in a statement signed by the Director, Public Affairs and Family Assistance, NSIB, Bimbo Oladeji, where he confirmed that there were no casualties.
Oladeji said that upon the receipt of the distress alert, the airport police patrol units, in collaboration with airport emergency response teams, were swiftly deployed to the scene, rescuing all occupants.
He said that airport emergency services were immediately activated, noting that a formal investigation has commenced in line with its statutory mandate.
What the NSIB Spokesperson is saying
Oladeji said the survivors are crew members on board at the time of the occurrence.
Two of the crew members were reported to be in stable condition, while the remaining two, who were initially unconscious, were immediately evacuated to a hospital, where they are currently receiving medical attention.
She said, “The crew declared an emergency, necessitating a diversion to Owerri, where the aircraft subsequently crash landed in the approach area of Runway 17.
“There were four people on board at the time of the accident, with no fatalities reported so far.’’
The Bureau’s Spokesperson stated that there was equally no post-crash fire, adding that the runway remained active for flight operations, with other aircraft taking off safely after the incident.
“Efforts are currently underway to coordinate the recovery and evacuation of the distressed aircraft from the crash site to allow for a detailed wreckage examination.
“The Director-General of bureau, Capt. Alex Badeh Jr., expressed his deepest sympathies to the management of Skypower Express and is glad that no fatalities were reported.
“The NSIB has activated its protocols, and our team is already coordinating with authorities to secure the site,” the statement added
What you should know
In a related incident, earlier in December, a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft was reported to have crashed near Karabonde, a small settlement in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, with eyewitnesses saying that two pilots sustained injuries in the crash.
Confirming the incident in a statement, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said the aircraft had taken off for a scheduled inspection test when the emergency occurred.
Ejodame explained that the pilots remained calm and demonstrated exceptional professionalism by manoeuvring the jet away from populated areas before executing a safe ejection in line with global aviation safety procedures.
