The Accident Investigation Bureau, Nigeria, on Saturday, said it’s recovered the black box of a Nigerian Air Force Beechcraft 350 jet That crashed on Friday near the Kaduna International Airport.
AIB said its researchers will analyse and download crucial information found in the recorders to determine the reason for the crash which claimed the lives of 11 military personnel such as the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Ibrahim Attahiru.
This was included in a statement titled,” AIB-N To Conduct Kaduna Crash Investigation’ signed by AIB-N General Manager, Public Affairs, Tunji Oketunbi.
Normally, the AIB-N, based on its mandate, just probes civil aviation incidents and accidents from Nigeria and not army incidents and accidents. However, Oketunbi stated the Nigerian Air Force faked AIB-N to direct the investigation into the wreck.
“The Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) in the accident aircraft have now been regained and investigation has started.
Read also: Champions the goals of Sustain Interventions in Infrastructural Development
“Researchers will download and populate crucial information found in the recorders in the AIB-N’s world-class Flight Safety Laboratory, in Abuja.
“The analysis given to AIB-N relies upon the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two agencies on July 1, 2020, covering regions of mutual support,” the announcement partially read.
The PUNCH had previously reported that the Defence Headquarters on Friday said bad weather was responsible for the wreck of their NAF jet.
In a statement signed by DHQ Acting Director Defence Information, Brigadier General, Onyema Nwachukwu, the DHQ stated the sacrifices of departed heroes won’t be in vain.
The announcement had been titled,’ Armed Forces Of Nigeria Loses Chief Of Army Staff And Six Others At Air Mishap’.
It read, “It’s with a heavy heart the Armed Forces of Nigeria Agree to declare this day at roughly 1800 times, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Ibrahim Attahiru in the business of his own entourage, who had been on an official excursion by Abuja to Kaduna, was included in an aviation accident.
“The unfortunate episode happened after landing in the Kaduna International Airport because of inclement weather”
The announcement also stated that the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, led an Accident Investigation Board to be comprised to additional probe the crash.
The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), had on January 26, 2021, appointed Attahiru to triumph Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai as COAS.
At least 20 army officers have lost their lives in the previous few weeks in three crashes between Nigerian Air Force jets.
