The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has confirmed an accident involving a Cessna 172 aircraft operated by Skypower Express at Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri, Imo State.
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The incident, which occurred on Tuesday evening, left all four occupants of the aircraft hospitalized.
According to a statement signed by the bureau’s Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance, Mrs. Bimbo Oladeji, the aircraft, with registration number 5N-ASR, was en route from Kaduna International Airport to Port Harcourt International Airport when the crew declared an in-flight emergency and diverted to Owerri.
The accident occurred around 8:00 pm on Tuesday during the aircraft’s approach to Runway 17, where it crash-landed and somersaulted.
According to the NSIB, four persons were on board at the time of the accident, and no fatalities have been reported.
“Airport emergency response services were immediately activated and arrived at the scene promptly. Officials confirmed that there was no post-crash fire, and flight operations at the airport were not disrupted, as the runway remained active with other aircraft taking off safely after the incident,” Oladeji said.
Our correspondent gathered that all four occupants of the aircraft were hospitalized following the incident.
Sources said the victims had been taken to a hospital, although their health status could not be independently confirmed.
An airport worker, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal, told our correspondent that she was unsure of the victims’ exact whereabouts but noted that “they appeared to have been taken to the hospital.”
Mrs. Oladeji stated that efforts were ongoing to recover and evacuate the damaged aircraft from the crash site to enable a detailed examination of the wreckage.
In a statement, Mrs Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji, Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance, NSIB, said: “Efforts are ongoing to recover the distressed aircraft from the crash site for a detailed wreckage examination.”
The Director-General of NSIB, Captain Alex Badeh Jr., said the bureau had activated its investigation protocols in line with its mandate.
“We express our deepest sympathies to the management of Skypower Express and are relieved that no fatalities have been reported so far. The NSIB has activated its protocols, and our team is already coordinating with relevant authorities to secure the site,” he said.
Captain Badeh Jr. expressed sympathy to Skypower Express while welcoming the absence of casualties, adding that further information would be released as the investigation progresses.
“We express our deepest sympathies to the management of Skypower Express and are glad that no fatalities have been reported so far. Our team is coordinating with authorities to secure the site,” he stated.
Both the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) were yet to comment on the incident.
Calls placed to their spokespersons, Michael Achimugu and Henry Agbebire, went unanswered, and text messages for clarification were not replied to at the time of filing this report.
The NSIB noted that there was no post-crash fire, and flight operations at the airport continued safely, with other aircraft taking off after the incident.
The runway remained active following the accident, with normal operations continuing at the airport despite the incident.
The NSIB has secured the crash site and is coordinating with relevant authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident.
Further details are expected to be released as the investigation progresses and the wreckage examination is completed.
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