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Search for missing airplane moves to Cameroon, 4 days after

Posted by By UCHE USIM, and BASHIR UMAR, Abuja on 2008/03/22 | Views: 619 |

Search for missing airplane moves to Cameroon, 4 days after


The search team involved in the recovery of the Beechcraft 1900D, belonging to Wings Aviation Limited, which was reported missing four days ago has finally moved into Cameroon as nothing appears to be forthcoming from the search conducted so far within the shores of Nigeria.

…It's a shame - Senate

The search team involved in the recovery of the Beechcraft 1900D, belonging to Wings Aviation Limited, which was reported missing four days ago has finally moved into Cameroon as nothing appears to be forthcoming from the search conducted so far within the shores of Nigeria.

The spokesman of the airline, Capt. Mike Omokore, who spoke with Daily Sun on Tuesday afternoon said all hands must be on deck to recover the three-man crew and the airplane or its wreckage if at all it is a crash.
He said the airline has further intensified efforts to ensure that the airplane is recovered, pointing out that there is no reason to lose hopes at this point.

He said the false report contained in virtually all the media in the country caused a lot of panic and confusion for, not only the airline workers but, the family members of the crew.
He revealed that the airline earlier got signals from the United States indicating that a US satellite picked up signals from an airplane but on closer scrutiny, the company discovered the signals were false.

He described aviation as a highly-technical field where precision, rather than assumption is the order of the day.
Omokore, said the airline will not rest until the airplane is recovered, noting that it is cooperating with all relevant aviation agencies to ensure the success of the search.

Speaking with rage and apparent disappointment, Senate President, David Mark submitted: 'Someone should have thrown in the towel (in the Aviation ministry) on account of the mishap, because it shameful and embarrassing that after four days, nothing has been heard or said about the missing plane."

Before Senator Mark, all his colleagues had talked negatively against 'the show of shame" exhibited by the Nigerian Aviation experts. The deliberation followed order 42 raised by the Senate Committee on Aviation, Senator Ayim Ude, who wanted the Senate to discuss the said missing plane and take a position on the issue.

He reminded the Senate that the plane, which left Lagos for Obudu in Cross River State and was supposed to have only one hour after take-off, had lost communication with Port-Harcourt airport and since then its whereabouts could not be traced, 'even as NEMA and NAMA had organized search operation early Sunday morning and information came that there was an air-crash."

In his contribution, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekwerenmadu, who insinuated possible hijack, noted that 'it's time for the Nigerian Aviation industry to look beyond the shores of the country, since many states have been searched, it is possible that the plane had left Nigeria. Who knows?"
For the Senate Deputy Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, the Airways handlers were hasty in making official announcement without fully verifying and tracing the accident spot, noting: 'Something like this had happened near Lagos in 1996, and up till now, the wreckage of the plane has not been found. Somebody should be made to take this responsibility."

As for Senator Patrick Osakwe, he regretted that people were just 'regaining confidence in flying in Nigeria and now this has happened again. And yet, it's hearsay, no evidence, no sign of the wreckage of the plane. It is very sad that up to now, the aviation in this country cannot be relied upon in-to-to.
In his own submission, Senator Smart Adeyemi, believes that those handling the Aviation industry in Nigeria 'are equipped enough to meet the challenges and do good job but something is missing somewhere, so, someone should be responsible."

Also contributing, Senator Saminu Turaki, simply wants Nigeria to double up in the area of prayers so that God would show us the right way and lead us towards security and national development like other nations are developing fast.

Briefing the press later, Senate Chairman on Media and Publicity, Senator Ayogu Eze, stressed that the Senate took with seriousness the missing plane and agencies involved would be made to face their national and international responsibilities.

Meanwhile, spasms of shock is currently running down the spines of top aviation officers following the call made by some senators on Tuesday requesting their immediate sack for their inability to locate the missing Beechcraft 1900D airplane for over four days running.
At the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), some officers wore sullen faces, lambasting the senators who called for their sack.

The same scenario played out at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), where top shots who had developed shaky feet were grumbling over the need to relieve them of their appointments.

The officers, who gathered in small pockets said sack can never solve the numerous problems plaguing the industry but rather it requires a careful and holistic approach.
However, a pilot, who preferred anonymity said the media reports that crashed airplane was found and the crew were dead, sent embarrassing messages that portrayed incompetence on the nation's part to manage emergencies.

He said there is a possibility that the airplane ran into a rough terrain and got trapped on ground.
"The Emergency Locator Transmitter was not triggered off because the aircraft may not have hit hard on the ground, like in a crash, it might have landed on one of its wings which will not cause enough gravity to ignite the transmitter. And if it is so, it is likely that the crew members may not have been injured severely, so the case now is that they will be struggling to see how they could come out of the place.

At that position, it is difficult to send out signals as aircraft signals work with the line of sight. So, there are certain low altitudes that you'll be and you find it difficult to send out signals or make calls. They may still be alive and the more we delay in getting to them, the likelihood they may die as a result of bad weather, hunger and starvation," he said.

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