Keyamo gives safety bureau 10 days to release probe report on Abuja-bound flight diverted to Asaba

“We have some preliminary steps we are taking as a ministry and regulators.’’

News Agency of Nigeria • November 28, 2023

Festus Keyamo

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has directed the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau to release investigative reports on Flight NUA0504 within 10 days.

Mr Keyamo said this on Monday in Abuja during a meeting with the leadership of the ministry and heads of agencies under the ministry.

The United Nigeria Flight NUA0504 operating from MM2 in Lagos en route Abuja on Sunday was temporarily diverted to the Asaba International Airport, Delta.

Mr Keyamo further told NSIB to deepen efforts to produce its investigative reports on other incidents that happened within the last two weeks.

According to him, the ministry is taking every step to ensure the safety of lives of Nigerians who decide to travel by air.

“For the incidents that happened recently in the country, some are classified as minor and some serious incidents. But we did have any fatality. However, we have some preliminary and precautions steps we are taking as a ministry and regulators.

“Because of the incident that happened yesterday, where a flight to Abuja ended up in Asaba. They must have their reports within 10 days of what really transpired,” he said.

According to him, the transcript from the tower of Nigeria Airspace Management Agency indicated that the pilot took off from Lagos headed to Asaba and not Abuja.

“There was no weather problem yesterday, NiMet’s DG is here. It was a question about a wet lease plane. Pilots and the cabin crew were foreigners. They were not familiar with the Nigerian terrain. So, it was purely an issue of in-house administrative issues. We have agreed, from now on, any wet lease coming into Nigeria must have a Nigerian pilot and Nigerians as its cabin crew,” he said.

The minister directed the Director-General of Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority of Nigeria to hold a crucial briefing with pilots and cabin crew of wet lease in Nigeria within 72 hours.

He said he had also ordered the NCAA boss to see how law could be enforced whereby passengers get some benefits from the airlines when there are flight delays or cancellations.

(NAN)

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