Posted by By Emmanuel Una/ Calabar on
The remains of three victims of the WING NIG Limited aircraft that crashed into the mountains of Busi in Obanliku Local Government Area of Cross River State, were found yesterday, and removed from the crash site by officials of National Emergency Management Agency and Cross River State officials.
The remains of three victims of the WING NIG Limited aircraft that crashed into the mountains of Busi in Obanliku Local Government Area of Cross River State, were found yesterday, and removed from the crash site by officials of National Emergency Management Agency and Cross River State officials.
Also recovered with the decomposed bodies is the black box of the aircraft. The bodies, which are apparently those of the pilot, the co-pilot and the airhostess, were removed by NEMA rescue helicopter with registration number 5 NBGN, at about 6: 30 p.m., and taken to the Bebi airstrip from where they were taken to Calabar en-route to Abuja .
The bodies were packed in plastic bags and loaded into the helicopter. One of the bodies, apparently that of the airhostess (had braided hair), was badly charred by the fire that engulfed the aircraft as she was the only one trapped in the aircraft while those of the pilot and co-pilot were found some distance away from the crash spot.
One of the victims had his leg chopped off from the rest of the body and it was still decomposing while the rest of the body had completely decayed.
The fact that the other two bodies were found some metres away from the wreckage was proof that the victims did not die at the spot. They may have died as a result of absence of aid. The Chairman of Obanliku Local Government, Dr Amanke, who had earlier received reports of the discovery of the crash site by hunters from Busi village, is said to be in possession of some of the documents found in the aircraft, that were not burnt by fire.
The crash scene, which is three minutes' flight to the Bebi Airstrip, is only accessible by helicopter as the terrain is difficult owing to the mountain and valleys. The NEMA officials who initially refused to take journalists to the crash site had a change of mind when the need for the presence of newsmen was made clear to them . However, they still refused to allow pictures to be taken.
Mr Casimir Obok, the special Adviser to Senator Liyel Imoke, said the press would 'only be briefed after the governor had been briefed. He sent us here and it is only normal that we inform him about what we have seen before we brief the press.'