A light aircraft operated by Skypower Express crashed near the approach area of Runway 17 at Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri, Imo State, on Tuesday evening after the crew declared an in-flight emergency.
The aircraft, a Cessna 172 with registration number 5N-ASR, was en route from Kaduna International Airport to Port Harcourt International Airport before diverting to Owerri due to the emergency.
The incident occurred at about 8pm, prompting an immediate response from airport emergency services. Authorities confirmed that four people were on board the aircraft at the time of the crash, with no fatalities or serious injuries recorded.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) said there was no post-crash fire and that flight operations at the airport were not disrupted, as take-offs and landings continued after the incident.
The Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance at the NSIB, Mrs Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji, said efforts were ongoing to recover the aircraft from the crash site for further examination.
“Efforts are ongoing to recover the distressed aircraft from the crash site for a detailed wreckage examination,” she said.
The bureau added that it had activated its investigation protocols in line with its statutory mandate and was working with relevant airport and security agencies to secure the area.
Reacting to the incident, the NSIB Director-General, Alex Badeh Jr., expressed sympathy to the management of Skypower Express and relief that no lives were lost.
“We express our deepest sympathies to the management of Skypower Express and are glad that no fatalities have been reported so far. Our team is coordinating with authorities to secure the site,” he said.
