Four people are currently receiving medical care after a Cessna 172 aircraft with registration number 5N-ASR, operated by Skypower Express crashed at the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri, Imo State.
The aircraft had departed Kaduna International Airport en route to Port Harcourt International Airport before diverting to Owerri after the crew declared an emergency.
Confirmation the incident on Tuesday, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) revealed that the crash occurred at about 8:00 pm on the airport premises, with four passengers and crew members onboard adding that no lives was lost.
Details of the incident were made public in a statement signed by the NSIB Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance, Mrs. Bimbo Oladeji.
“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.
She added that arrangements were underway to retrieve and relocate the damaged aircraft from the crash site to facilitate a comprehensive assessment of the wreckage.
In a related development, the Director-General of the NSIB, Captain Alex Badeh Jr., confirmed that the agency had initiated its investigative processes 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. further stated that more updates would be provided as the investigation progresses
