Associated plane crash: Surviving airline technician dies

Associated Airlines’ aircraft technician, who was among the five survivors of the tragic crash that left 15 people dead in Lagos on October 3, has passed on at the Gbagada General hospital, Lagos, where he had been on admission for treatment.
The development brought to 16 the number of fatalities recorded from the ill-fated plane crash.
Sources at the hospital said the technician, Mr. Samson Fatoye, died at about 7pm on Wednesday. Fatoye, who had suffered severe burnt from the crash, had been transferred from one hospital to another before he was finally taken to the Gbagada hospital.
The sources said Fatoye passed on a few hours after immigration officials from Abuja arrived in the hospital with electronic data capturing machine to prepare passport that would enable the survivors to travel overseas for further treatment.

The Punch

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Two planes collide at Lagos airport

Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos

There was a minor accident on Friday at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, involving a Turkish Airline aircraft and a Max Air plane. The Turkish Airline plane wings collided with that of Max Air plane which had brought in Pilgrims from Saudi Arabia.

Saturday PUNCH learnt that the Turkish Airplane had landed safely but was taxiing to stop at the airport’s apron when its wing collided with that of Max Air.

The collision resulted in minor damages to both airplanes and sources said they had been  taken away for repairs.

An online newspaper said the Spokesman, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Mr. Fan Ndubuoke, confirmed the incident. He however said damages to the aircraft belonging to both airlines were minor and that both planes had been taken away for repairs.

A similar incident occurred last year in Jos, Plateau State, when an Arik plane wings brushed an Airforce jet parked at the apron when the plane was taxiing to stop. There was also no casualty in the incident but only damages to both planes.

The Punch

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Nigeria, Israel to Sign Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA)

Another milestone is about to be recorded in the aviation sector as President Goodluck Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda paves way for the signing of a Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the State of Israel.

 Previous attempts to sign the BASA between the two countries in 2005 and 2012 were unsuccessful.

 According to the special meassistant to the Minister of Aviation, Joe Obi, the agreement would  be signed this week during President Jonathan’s pilgrimage to Israel.

 He said this was a culmination of months of rigorous negotiations between the two countries.

His words, “The landmark agreement comes as a clear validation of the nation’s high safety and security ratings by international aviation bodies, especially the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and an improvement on infrastructure in the aviation sector in the last two years. The agreement will pave way for direct flights between both territories on the Principle of Reciprocity by the designated airlines of both countries.” Before now Nigerians travelling to Israel, including christian pilgrims, have had to endure the long stop-overs in neighbouring countries before being finally airlifted to the Holy Land.

 Obi also said the agreement adequately addresses the question of imbalance in the BASA between Nigeria and other contracting countries. Under the terms of this agreement, Nigeria and the State of Israel would enjoy equal rights and privileges in the implementation of the BASA.

IRS plane crash averted in Kaduna

By LAWANI MIKAIRU
Another plane crash was Sunday was averted in Kaduna as IRS Airline plane with 89 passengers on board was assisted to land in Kaduna as the plane developed mechanical problems.
The plane had hydraulic problem and on successful landing had to disembark passengers on the runway and not taxi to parking place “ in accordance with the procedure”.
Reacting to the incident , The Managing Director of IRS, Mr Yemi Dada said “ On final approach to Kaduna today on our flight 3390 with 89 passengers, our cockpit crew got a low hydraulic in system 1 warning and decided to take precautionary measures to ask for ground confirmation that all gears were down and locked and the aircraft landed normally after the control tower had confirmed that the gears were all down normally.
The crew proceeded to land but followed procedure to disembark on the runway and not taxi in accordance with the procedure.”
“All passengers disembarked normally and the aircraft was towed to ramp. The maintenance crew are inspecting to confirm the issue that caused the warning to the crew. Updates will follow shortly “
This incident is coming few days after Associated Aviation plane carrying the body of the former governor of Ondo State, Chief Segun Agagu and 20 others crashed 31 seconds after take-off from the Murtala Mohammed Airport, MMA, Lagos runway killing 15 of the 20 people.
The Accident Investigation Bureau, AIB, in its preliminary report of the accident released to journalists in Abuja said investigations revealed that the aircraft was already faulty before the cockpit crew decided to embark on the journey.
And the captain in command, Capt. Abdulraham Yakubu insisted that the crew must continue with the journey even when the co-pilot suggested that the flight should be aborted. The aircraft crashed exactly 31 seconds after take off from the runway.

Vanguard

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