Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) said it has been mandated by Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to lead the investigation into the crash of a military aircraft that occurred on Friday at Kaduna International Airport.
The crash, which occurred on landing, claimed 11 lives including the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Ibrahim Attahiru, his aides, and the flight crew.
Read Also: COAS Ibrahim Attahiru, Six Other Officials Buried In Abuja (Photos)
General Manager, Public Affairs of AIB, Tunji Oketunbi, in a statement, disclosed this, adding that the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) from the accidented Beechcraft 350 aircraft have been recovered.
He stated that its investigators will download and analyse vital information contained in the recorders to ascertain the cause of the crash.
The General Manager said investigation has commenced, adding;
Investigators will download and analyse vital information contained in the recorders at the AIB-N’s world class Flight Safety Laboratory, in Abuja.
Oketunbi said the mandate given to AIB-N is based on the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the two agencies on July 1, 2020 covering areas of mutual assistance.
MDB earlier reported that Defence Headquarters on Friday said bad weather was responsible for the crash of NAF jet.
Read Also: Bad Weather Caused Military Aircraft Crash – DHQ
In a statement signed by DHQ Acting Director Defence Information, Brigadier General, Onyema Nwachukwu, the DHQ said the sacrifices of departed heroes will not be in vain.
The statement was titled, ‘Armed Forces Of Nigeria Loses Chief Of Army Staff And Ten Others In Air Mishap’.
It read;
It is with a heavy heart that the Armed Forces of Nigeria regrets to announce that this evening at about 1800 Hours, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Ibrahim Attahiru in company of his entourage, who were on official trip from Abuja to Kaduna, were involved in an air mishap.
The unfortunate incident occurred after landing at the Kaduna International Airport due to inclement weather.
The statement also said that Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, directed that an Accident Investigation Board be constituted to further probe the accident.
