Four people narrowly escaped death on Tuesday evening after a Cessna 172 aircraft operated by Skypower Express crash-landed at the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri, Imo State.
The incident occurred at approximately 6:58 p.m. as the aircraft was on final approach to Runway 17. This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance at the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), Mrs. Bimbo Oladeji.
According to the statement, the aircraft, with registration number 5N-ASR, was en route from Kaduna International Airport to Port Harcourt International Airport when the crew declared an emergency and diverted to Owerri.
Upon receiving the distress alert, airport police patrol units, working alongside emergency response teams, were immediately deployed to the scene. All four occupants were successfully rescued. Emergency services responded swiftly, and there was no post-crash fire.
The NSIB confirmed that flight operations at the airport were not disrupted, as the runway remained operational throughout and after the incident.
Oladeji stated that all survivors were crew members on board at the time of the occurrence. Two of them were reported to be in stable condition, while the other two—who were initially unconscious—were promptly evacuated to a hospital, where they are currently receiving medical care.
The Bureau announced that a formal investigation has commenced in line with its statutory mandate to determine the cause of the crash-landing. It assured the public that updates would be provided as more information becomes available.
Arrangements are also underway to recover and evacuate the aircraft from the crash site to allow for a detailed wreckage examination as part of the investigation process.
Meanwhile, the Director-General of the NSIB, Captain Alex Badeh Jr., expressed sympathy to the airline and relief that no lives were lost in the incident, describing the outcome as fortunate given the circumstances.
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