2 pilots escape unhurt as NAF fighter jet crashes in Benue

An FT7-NI fighter jet, belonging to the Nigerian Air Force, NAF, on Friday crashed in Makurdi, Benue State capital

Although full details about the crash are still sketchy as immediate investigation into the cause of the crash has been instituted by the authorities.

But a military source informed that two personnel of the Nigerian Air Force onboard the fighter came out unhurt.

The source explained that, “An FT7-NI aircraft crashed today in Makurdi.

“The cause of the crash could not be immediately ascertained.

It had two Airmen onboard.They ejected unhurt from the jet.”

Confirming the air accident, the spokesperson for the service, Air Commodore, Edward Gabkwet, said in a statement on Friday that the crash had occured during training, adding that affected pilots are currently under observation at the NAF Base hospital.

The spokesperson also informed that the Chief of Air Staff had instituted a board to investigate what led to the crash.

The statement read, “A Nigerian Air Force FT-7NI trainer aircraft crashed today, 14 July 2023 at about 4.15 pm in Makurdi, Benue State, while on a routine training exercise.

“Luckily, the 2 pilots on board survived the crash after successfully ejecting from the aircraft.

“Additionally, there were no deaths or damages in the impact area.

“Both pilots are currently under observation at NAF Base Hospital, Makurdi.

“Meanwhile, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Hasan Abubakar, has constituted a Board of Inquiry to determine the immediate and remote causes of the crash.”

This would not be the first time a crash of this nature had occured, in February 2023, the Air Force jet lost its tyre mid-air and made an emergency landing at Lagos Airport on its belly with no casualty recorded.

Also recall that, in April 2022, a similar trainer aircraft crashed in Kaduna, leading to the death of the two pilots on board.