NIGERIA AIR CRASH: DON'T TOY WITH LIVES, GOV. AKPABIO WARNS AIRLINES

AN official of Dana Airlines who did not want to be named has confirmed to Channels Television, an independent television station in Nigeria, that the ill-fated Dana Air flight 0992, MC Donnell Douglas (MD 83) was faulty even before it took off from Abuja.



This is coming as Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, has warned airline operators against toying with the lives of Nigerians.



The aitline official also claimed the flight has very recent history of problems and it was not supposed to have flown.

According to the official, “the plane has had problems that the airlines were aware and should not have flown but the owners’ insisted that the ill-fated flight must go ahead.

“The same plane had issues in Uyo, Calabar and Abuja over the last few weeks and even experienced issues on Sunday morning.



''Officials of Dana Air were advised earlier that the plane shouldn’t fly due to some faults noticed in it, but the Indian owners insisted that the air craft should fly.

Also, the Special Adviser, Technical to Minister of Aviation, Mr. Victor Oche Elias, has revealed that the pilot of the ill-fated plane had alerted the aviation authority of the airport, on the emergency situation 11 nautical miles to landing.

The ill-fated Dana plane had been under repair for several weeks and the airline’s station manager protested its use but the Indian mgt insisted it should fly!

The German stations are reporting that the plane which just crashed should never have taken off becos of its write off state and that it’s a wonder the plane even made it to Lagos It was further disclosed that the pilot’s may-day cry was given priority, but the plane could not make it, as it crashed 4 nautical miles to landing.

MC Donnell Douglas MD 83 was sold to Dana Airline in 2009 by a US-based Alaska Airlines ahead of the airline, commencing its services in Nigeria.

Governor Akpabio has however, bemoaned the Sunday air disaster where 153 passengers were confirmed death as a national calamity that calls for more stringent safety measures in the aviation sector.



Akpabio who was apparently shocked on receiving the news of the crash said that regulatory agencies should ensure that airline operators adhere strictly to global aviation operational standards.



Speaking through his Information Commissioner, Mr. Aniekan Umanah ,Akpabio recounted that he had,in a recent telephone chat cautioned the managing Director of Dana airlines to ensure that it's aircrafts were air worthy so as not to endanger the lives of Nigerians.



This warning came at the heels of an averted air disaster involving Dana aircraft enroute Lagos from Uyo which had technical problems that forced the aircraft to hover for hours before finally making it back to Lagos where it managed to land.



The governor who called on airline operators in the country not to experiment with people's lives maintained that similar situations had caused serial air disasters in the past thereby resulting in massive loss of lives and the extinction of some affected airlines in the country.



Akpabio expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and prayed for the repose of their souls. ENDS