Adeleke: NCAA, NSIB Begin Probe Of Averted Crash
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau have initiated a thorough investigation into the incident of an averted crash of an aircraft conveying the Osun State governor, Ademola Adeleke, and some of his aides while adding that two of the aircraft’s engines might have been tampered with.
The Director General, NCAA, Capt Musa Nuhu, disclosed this in a press statement on Sunday.
According to Nuhu, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, expressed deep concern upon receiving reports of an aborted take-off incident involving a Bombardier Global Express 605 jet operated by Pacific Energy Company Limited.
The incident took place at the Lagos airport earlier Sunday, as the aircraft was scheduled to transport Adeleke and his team to Abuja.
The spokesperson for the Osun State governor, Olawale Rasheed, confirmed that a crash of an aircraft conveying the state governor, Ademola Adeleke, and some of his aides, was narrowly averted while adding that two of the aircraft’s engines might have been tampered with.
The statement partly reads,” The Aviation Minister, Mr Festus Keyamo, SAN, received with concern reports of an aborted take-off of a Bombardier Global Express 605 jet operated by Pacific Energy Company Limited at the Lagos airport on September 4, 2023. The aircraft was carrying Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State and his team on a scheduled flight to Abuja.
“Once alerted, the Honourable Minister contacted the Director General of Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority and was briefed accordingly. A mandatory report was submitted on 6th September 2023 in accordance with Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig. CARS).”
The NCAA boss further noted that the operator submitted the report through the new web-based National Aviation Safety Reporting System, SMS Pro, deployed by the NCAA in collaboration with the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau in compliance with the provisions of ICAO-mandated State Safety Programme and the Civil Aviation Act 2022.
He said,” A full-blown investigation of the incident has since commenced.”
“While expressing relief that the incident ended without any harm, the Honourable Minister assured that the outcome of NCAA’s investigation and recommendations will be implemented in line with Nig. CARS and global best practices.
The DG added that the NCAA assured the travelling public that it would double its efforts in collaboration with NSIB to maintain and improve upon the high safety aviation standards set in the country over the past decade.
“The Honourable Minister has on several occasions stated that the safety of the aviation industry is the number one objective of his administration.”
