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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Nigerian Passenger Dies in US-bound Flight from Lagos

Houston police are awaiting autopsy results on a Nigerian man, who died at about 8:25 a.m. Tuesday on a US-bound flight out of Lagos.

The male, Benedict Sylvester Igwedike, 67, of Lagos, Nigeria, died on board a United Airlines flight.

According to HPD Homicide Division Senior Police Officer, M. Miller, patrol officers responded to a deceased male who was on board the United Airlines flight #143 arriving from Lagos, Nigeria.

Miller said: "Further investigation determined Mr. Igwedike passed away shortly after the flight departed from Nigeria.

"The flight was then rerouted to Dakar, Senegal. After refuelling, authorities in Senegal rerouted the flight to Houston."

The investigation is pending Igwedike's cause of death says Miller.

The normal time for the direct flight between Lagos and Houston, Texas is about 13 hours but the plane was diverted to the capital of Senegal ostensibly to administer further medical treatment on the late Igwedike.

Souce: Daily Times.

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Medview Airlines begins airlift of Pilgrims to Saudi Arabia

Medview Airlines, one of the carriers designated to fly Muslimpilgrims to Saudi Arabia yesterday commenced airlifting of 517 pilgrims from the Lagos zone through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja.
The 517 pilgrims from Osun and Ogun States, are the first batch of the over 5,500 to be air lifted by Medview Airlines from three zones namely Lagos, Ilorin and Port Harcourt allocated to the airline.

The airline said it has deployed two Boeing 747 and Boeing 767 aircraft to airports in Lagos and Ilorin  that would simultaneously fly pilgrims into Medina, in Saudi Arabia.

Speaking at a pre-departure briefing at the hajj camp axis of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, the managing director of  Medview Airlines, Alhaji Muneer Bankole said the airline will complete the  in bound air lifting of pilgrims at the designated zones this week , even as he assured that all logistics have been mobilised to ensure the seamless movement if the pilgrims.

Bankole said the airline in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of  Health and the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria ( NAHCON) to sensitive the pilgrims on how to avoid being afflicted with Coronal Virus that is prevalent in Saudi Arabia .

He said it is for such readies that children are not allowed to participate in the exercise , even as he said the airline would not board any  unmarried  female pilgrims that is not accompanied by a male guarantor .
Bankole said :" We have commenced 2013 air lifting of Muslim pilgrims from Lagos and Ilorin zones and we will be  flying 517 passenger today with the Boeing 747 aircraft to Medina in Saudi Arabia.
We are operating from three zones, Lagos , Ilorin and Port Harcourt .
The pilgrims will be flown to Medina. As an airline we will provide clothing materials and water for the males and females.
We have B747 and B767 aircraft already in place to make the flight hitch free.
All adequate arrangements has been made like we did last year  to ensure that any female that is not accompanied by a male is not allowed to board.

From the Medview Airlines point of view, We would provide some materials for the pilgrims." 

He further said : " About 5,500 pilgrims  will be airlifted from Lagos, Ilorin, and Port Harcourt.

That is the number of pilgrims allotted to us fir this year.
Besides the Boeing 747 aircraft we have in Lagos , We have deployed another Boeing 767 aircraft in Ilorin zone.

We are fully prepared for this programme, we insist that all pilgrims abide by the laws, concerning unaccompanied singles.
We would conclude  by October 19, 2013.

We have done this  Hajj thirty times, it shows we have core competence in this business.
We have collaborated with officials of Ministry of Health to sensitive the pilgrims on how to stay healthy and avoid any infection with the coronal virus that was reported in Saudi Arabia at the time.

The ministry of health and the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria has carried out sufficient enlightenment to ensure that the pilgrims are equipped with enough knowledge to avoid any contamination of coronal virus. 

That is why children are not allowed.  We would conclude by weekend  the in bound leg of the flights into Saudi Arabia  and commence the out bound airlifting from Saudi Arabia from October 19, 2013.

We have begun the airlift with pilgrims from Osun State, Ogun State, while other states in the South West will continue in the week.
We have sufficiently mobilised to ensure there is no hitch in the programme . "

Source: Alarinka agbaye blog.

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Govt plans tourism sector transformation to diversify revenue base

By Gregory Austin Nwakunor and Ajibola Amzat

THE Federal Government has restated its commitment to diversifying the nation’s revenue base, with a plan to develop the tourism sector to generate more earnings and create more jobs.
  At the tourism stakeholders forum tagged ‘Rebuilding the NTDC and Growing the Tourism Value Chain for Revenue Generation and Job Creation’, held at the Civic Centre, Lagos on Monday, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Edem Duke, said the forum gave full expression to the transformation agenda in the tourism sector.
  According to him, the ministry has President Goodluck Jonathan’s approval of the transformation agenda in the ministry which provides “a rallying point for showcasing Nigeria’s tourism assets by articulating a strategic brand positioning for Nigeria in the international arena aptly christened Fascinating Nigeria. This is imperative because the world has moved beyond traditional diplomacy into an era of brand diplomacy.”
   While stating that the ministry has entered into a strategic partnership with a Dubai-based destination marketing company to domesticate best practices from their experiences, he called on all stakeholders in the Nigerian project to support the re-energised brand positioning.
  “We urge corporate citizens and every Nigerian, indeed, to proudly start a word-of-mouth campaign in support of our media campaigns, especially on international platforms,” he said.
  The minister said his ministry is mindful of the many challenges faced by stakeholders across the Tourism value chain. “From the operator, who is confronted with multiple taxes and high cost of capital to the Nigerian citizens who are more likely to be below 35 years of age and seeking better paying job so they can have time for leisure and domestic travel.”
  Duke said, “in line with the policy of this administration to provide an enabling environment for the private sector to be the engine of economic growth and job creation, we encourage private investors to partner with the NTDC as it unveils programmes and projects.”
  The Director General of NTDC, Sally Mbanefo, while unfolding her transformation agenda, said her focus would be domestic tourism.
According to the DG, “the domestic tourism market has very high revenue and job creation potential. If we assume that a low estimate of 20 million out of 160 million Nigerians travel locally for business, leisure, culture, religion or sport yearly, and they spend only 10 per cent of Nigeria’s per capital income of $2000 yearly, we will have $4 billion domestic tourism market and hence our focus at NTDC is on developing domestic tourism as the foundation for attracting international tourists.”
  According to Mbanefo, “we cannot achieve anything without the support of all the stakeholders, home and abroad.”
 The chairman of the occasion, Mr. Andrew Alli, who is President, African Finance Corporation, described tourism as a major driver of infrastructural inv estment on the continent. He noted that financing is not a major challenge as some investors may want to believe that “if the business idea is good, accessing funding may not be difficult. Financial organisations are only looking out for key factors that can mitigate the risk,” he said.

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