4 crew members escape death as plane crash-lands at Owerri airport

Four crew members narrowly escaped death on Tuesday evening after a light aircraft operated by Skypower Express crash-landed at the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri, Imo State.

The aircraft, a Cessna 172 with registration number 5N-ASR, ran into trouble at about 6:58 p.m. while approaching Runway 17, prompting the crew to declare an emergency and divert to Owerri.

Confirming the incident in a statement, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) said the aircraft was originally en route from Kaduna International Airport to Port Harcourt International Airport before the unscheduled diversion.

“The aircraft declared an emergency while in flight and was diverted to Owerri,” the statement, signed by the Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance, Mrs Bimbo Oladeji, said.

She noted that upon receiving the distress alert, airport police patrol units, working alongside emergency response teams, were immediately deployed to the crash site, leading to the successful rescue of all occupants on board.

Emergency services at the airport were activated without delay, and the Bureau confirmed that no post-crash fire occurred, a development that significantly reduced the severity of the incident.

Despite the crash-landing, flight operations at the airport were not disrupted, as the runway remained operational throughout the emergency response.

Oladeji explained that all four survivors were crew members. While two were reported to be in stable condition, the remaining two, who were initially unconscious, were swiftly evacuated to a hospital where they are currently receiving medical care.

The NSIB announced that a formal investigation has commenced in line with its statutory mandate to determine the cause of the incident.

“The Bureau will provide further updates as more information becomes available,” the statement added.

Arrangements are also underway to recover and evacuate the aircraft wreckage from the crash site to enable a detailed examination as part of the investigation process.

Meanwhile, the Director-General of the NSIB, Captain Alex Badeh Jr., expressed sympathy to the airline and relief that no lives were lost in the incident.