By Sadiq Umar, Abuja. The Nigerian Air Force has commenced investigation into the recent crash of its aircraft in which seven persons were reported dead. Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, set up the panel to investigate circumstances surrounding the crash of Nigerian Air Force Dornier-228 aircraft. A statement issued in Abuja on weekend by the Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF Headquarters, Air Commodore Dele Alonge, said the panel is headed by an Air Vice Marshal. According to the statement, the chief of air staff has aborted his official trip to Port Harcourt and would visit the crash site and families of some of the deceased personnel. It said the chief would be accompanied by the Air Officer Commanding Training Command, AVM Alikali Mamu, during the visit. The statement confirmed that the aircraft crashed into a house at Ribadu Cantonment, Kaduna, on Saturday, killing all passengers on board. “A Nigerian Air Force Dornier-228 aircraft, with call sign NAF030, has crashed into a house at Ribadu Cantonment, Kaduna. “Though no casualty was recorded on ground, there were no survivors among the passengers on board the aircraft,” the statement said. It said the aircraft was Abuja-bound and had taken-off at about 6.45am from the Kaduna Military Airfield before the tragedy. Alonge said the bodies of the passengers were recovered while firefighters were mobilised to the crash site to curtail fire from spreading to buildings.
