THE strict dichotomy between civil and military aviation has been narrowed, with the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, agreeing to deepen collaboration between the Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on  aviation safety, airworthiness, certification, training and capacity building.

The agreement was reached, on Wednesday, when the minister paid a condolence visit to the Chief of Air Staff, following the tragic Nigerian Air Force aircraft incident at Igbokoda, in Ondo State.

The minister, after signing the condolence register, held a meeting with the NAF boss, after which both leaders addressed the media and announced a new framework for closer cooperation between civil and military aviation authorities.

Keyamo expressed sympathy to the NAF, describing the incident as a national tragedy, while commending the gallantry and sacrifices of the men and women of the Air Force.

“We value the Air Force. We value the efforts of the gallant men and women of the Air Force and what they do for the country,” the minister said.

He stressed that tragedies within the aviation sector do not distinguish between military and civilian operators, noting that both sectors ultimately serve the same country and protect the same citizens.

He said the incident has further strengthened the need for greater cooperation and the sharing of expertise between the two sides.

“It is one country, one people. When disaster happens, it affects everybody. There were civilians in that air crash and when there’s an air crash in the civil aviation too, there can be military personnel. And so, it is important that we cooperate in the area of safety,” Keyamo said.

The minister noted that the NAF already relies on civil aviation infrastructure, particularly air traffic control, and said the existing relationship should now be expanded into a more structured partnership.

He disclosed that he had contacted the Director-General of the NCAA and facilitated direct communication between the NCAA leadership and the Chief of Air Staff.

“We have decided that we will cooperate in terms of capacity building,” he said.

Keyamo announced that a joint committee involving the NCAA and the NAF would be established to facilitate collaboration in airworthiness, certification, training and other aviation safety measures, while respecting the statutory mandates of both institutions.

He further assured the Chief of Air Staff that personnel of the NAF would be given access to relevant training opportunities undertaken by the civil aviation authorities.

The minister also acknowledged that the NAF possesses specialised expertise that would be beneficial to the civil aviation sector, describing the proposed relationship as a mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and experience.

Responding, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Aneke, thanked the minister for the condolence visit and for his continued support for the Air Force.

He described the minister’s gesture as a demonstration of the strong relationship that has developed between the civil and military aviation sectors under his leadership.

The Chief of Air Staff disclosed that both institutions had commenced discussions on a framework that would enable personnel from the civil aviation sector to contribute to the Air Force’s safety environment, particularly in the areas of airworthiness and certification, while Air Force personnel would also contribute their expertise to the civil aviation sector where required.

Navy deploys sonar to locate aircraft

The Nigerian Navy has deployed specialised underwater sonar equipment to locate the crashed Air Force ATR-42 aircraft submerged in the swampy area of Igbokoda.

The deployment followed an on-the-spot assessment of the crash site by the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Abubakar Abdullahi Mustapha, and the Air Officer Commanding, Logistics Command, Nigerian Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Abubakar Abdul Suleh, on Tuesday.

Speaking during the assessment, Rear Admiral Mustapha said the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, and the Service Chiefs appreciated the Ondo State government, host communities, emergency agencies and other stakeholders for their support since the incident occurred.

He urged all those involved in the operation to remain calm and continue to cooperate with the agencies handling the recovery effort.

The FOC also commended Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, as well as Hi-Tech and AUC Construction companies, for providing mechanised equipment to support the recovery operation.

As part of the renewed efforts, the Nigerian Navy Hydrographic Department, deployed by the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, commenced an underwater survey using state-of-the-art side-scan sonar equipment to obtain a clearer picture of the swamp and determine the exact position of the submerged aircraft.

The sonar survey is expected to guide divers and other technical personnel in locating the aircraft and planning its recovery, including the deployment of swamp buggies for excavation in the difficult terrain.

Rear Admiral Mustapha, accompanied by selected stakeholders, travelled by boat to the crash site after receiving briefings at the Forward Operating Base, Igbokoda, where he also interacted with the technical crew at the swamp buggy launching point.

Aiyedatiwa orders sustained search

Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, on Wednesday, ordered the sustained search for the victims and wreckage of the aircraft, saying every effort must be made to recover those involved in the tragedy.

Aiyedatiwa who gave this directive during his visit to the crash site, received a briefing on the ongoing search and recovery operation by personnel of the Nigerian Navy, Air Force, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and local divers.

The governor said the government had responded to the difficult terrain by deploying two amphibious machines, popularly known as swamp buggies, to create wider access to the crash location and facilitate the movement of larger boats and rescue equipment.

He said the machines were also being used to excavate the swamp in the search for the main wreckage of the aircraft, which was yet to be located as of the time of his visit.

He said divers from the Navy and local communities were continuing the search in deeper sections of the swamp, noting that the difficult terrain and soft nature of the area had made the recovery operation particularly challenging.

Aiyedatiwa described the incident as a “national tragedy,” saying there had been no survivor found from the aircraft.

He said parts of bodies, clothing and jackets belonging to Air Force personnel, as well as fragments of the aircraft, had been recovered and preserved for further investigation.

The governor also disclosed that aviation fuel was flowing into the surrounding water, causing pollution in the area, while efforts continued to locate the submerged aircraft.

He said the nature of the terrain suggested that the aircraft could have sunk deeply into the mud, making it difficult for rescuers to locate the main wreckage, adding that government’s intervention was aimed at improving access to the site and supporting the federal agencies leading the recovery operation.

The governor also said the aircraft could have caused a greater disaster had the pilot not succeeded in manoeuvring it away from the community.

According to him, residents who witnessed the incident reported that the aircraft appeared to be descending with what sounded like an engine problem and was heading towards the community before the pilot manoeuvred it away.

He said the aircraft eventually crashed about 200 metres from the community and went into the swamp.

Aiyedatiwa expressed gratitude that the crash did not occur within the populated area, saying such an occurrence could have resulted in greater loss of lives and property.

Earlier, the Commander, Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base, Igbokoda, Captain Andy Alemongwa, briefed the governor on the progress of the operation as Navy personnel and local divers continued the search for the missing victims and the main wreckage.

NDLEA condoles NAF

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has expressed deep sorrow over the tragic aircraft crash.

In a letter of condolence addressed to the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brigadier-General Mohamed Marwa (retd), conveyed the agency’s sympathies to the Air Force leadership, officers, men and women and the families of the fallen heroes.

Marwa described the news of the crash as devastating, noting that it was received with profound grief.

Obi visits NAF facility, signs condolence register

Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, visited the Nigerian Air Force facility, in Abuja, to formally sign the condolence register, following the recent aircraft crash.

Obi, who disclosed this in a Facebook post, on Tuesday, said the visit provided him an opportunity to reflect on the sacrifices made by personnel of the Nigerian Air Force and other security agencies in the line of duty.

The former Anambra State governor expressed condolences to the Nigerian Air Force as well as the families, colleagues and loved ones of those who lost their lives in the crash.

“Further to my message yesterday [Tuesday], I visited the Nigerian Air Force facility in Abuja today [Wednesday] to formally sign the condolence register following the unfortunate aircraft crash,” Obi said.

He described members of the Armed Forces and other security agencies as courageous Nigerians who routinely risk their lives to defend the country and protect citizens.

According to him, their service and sacrifices must never be taken for granted. “The visit gave me another opportunity to reflect on the sacrifices made daily by the men and women of our Armed Forces and other security agencies in the line of duty.

“These courageous Nigerians put their lives on the line to defend our nation and protect our people. We must never take their service and sacrifice for granted,” he said.

Source: tribuneonlineng.com

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