A comprehensive history of Air Crashes in Nigeria

IN the last five decades, air transportation in the country has suffered plane crashes that have claimed thousands of lives, including those of eminent Nigerians and foreigners. Below is a catalogue of air mishaps in the country:

* November 20, 1969: Nigeria Airways BAC VC10 crashed on landing, killing 87 people on board.

* January 22, 1973: Royal Jordanian Airlines flight 707 carrying 171 Nigerian Muslims returning from Mecca and five crewmen crashed in Kano, killing all on board.

* March 1, 1978: Nigeria Airways F28-1000 crashed in Kano, killing 16 people.

* November 28, 1983: Nigeria Airways F28-1000 crashed near Enugu, killing 53 on board.

* December 1988: Skypower Brandeironte aircraft overshot Ilorin Airport's runway, killing all the passengers.

* February 24,1991: British Helicopter crashed in Eket, Akwa Ibom State, killing all nine people on board.


* May 21, 1991: A Cessna Citation 550 of Ashaka Cement, Hombe, crashed, killing all on board.

* June 26, 1991: An Okada Air Bac-11 crashed in Sokoto, killing three persons.
* September 26, 1992: Nigerian Air Force A C-130 plane crashed minutes after take-off from Lagos. All 200 on board killed.

* June 24, 1995: Harka Air Services Tupolev 34 crashed on landing in Lagos, killing 16.

* November 13, 1995: Nigeria Airways Boeing 737-2F9 crashed on landing in Kaduna, killing 9.

* January 17, 1996: Ibrahim Abacha, son of Sani Abacha, was killed in a plane crash. The group "United Front for Nigeria's Liberation" (UFNL) claimed responsibility for the crash.

* November 7, 1996: A Nigerian ADC (Aviation Development Corporation) Airline Boeing 727-231 flying from Port Harcourt to Lagos with 142 passengers and 9 crew members crashed on landing, plunging into the lagoon with all on board killed.

* January 31, 1997: SkyPower Express Airways Embraer 110PIA crashed on landing in Yola, killing five.

* September 12, 1997: NAF Dornier 228-212 in Nguru, Borno State ran into a ditch during take off, none of the 10 people died.

* January 5, 2000: SkyPower Express Airways Bandeirante 110P1A crashes on landing in Abuja, killing 17.

* October 26, 2000: Dornier aircraft plunged into a thick bush near the Niger Delta, 6 occupants injured.

* May 4, 2002: EAS Airlines' BAC 1-11-500 with 105 people on board crashed and burst into flames in a densely populated suburb of Kano, killing 76 on board and 72 on the ground bringing total casualties to148.

* November 30, 2003: A Cargo aircraft of Hydro Cargo, Brussels, Belgium, crash-landed.

* March 6, 2004: An Aenail spray aircraft with registration number 5NBEF belonging to Berfieex Nigeria Ltd, crashed at the Bauchi Airport.

* July 26, 2004: Pan African Airlines' helicopter crashed into the Atlantic Ocean in Eacraros, Delta State, killing four persons on board.

* December 29, 2004: A Boeing 727 of Chanchangi Airlines belly-landed at the MMA.

* December 29, 2004: A Kenya Airlines aircraft crashed- landed at the MMA due to gear fault.

* January 28, 2005: A Nigeria Air Force fighter plane crashed into a farmland in Yar Kanya, Kano State.

* February 25, 2005: ADC's B73 aircraft had its tyre burnt while landing at Yola Airport.

* March 27, 2005: A Boeing 737 of Bellview had one of its engines caught fire.

* June 11/12, 2005: Lagos: a Boeing 727-200 aircraft belonging to the domestic Chachangi Airlines overshot the runway at Murtala Muhammed Airport, while yet another overshot the runway at the airport in Jos in central Nigeria a day earlier.

* June 24, 2005: A Russian aircraft belonging to Harka Air crash- landed at the MMA, all the people on board died

* July 6, 2005, Port Harcourt: An Air France A330 plane crashed into a herd of cattle at Port Harcourt airport, sustaining serious damage and killing many of the cows.

* July 23, 2005, a Lufthansa aircraft crash-landed at Lagos airport and was badly damaged, but no life was lost.

* October 22, 2005: A Bellview Airlines Boeing 737 with 117 people on board crashed shortly after take-off from Lagos. All on board killed.

* December 10, 2005: A Sosoliso Airlines DC-9 crashes in Port Harcourt, killing all 103 on board.

* September 17, 2006: A 18-seater Dornier 228 Air Force transport plane, carrying 15 senior army officers and three crew members crashed in Benue State, leaving only three survivors.

* October 29, 2006: Aviation Development Corporation Airline Boeing 737 with 104 on board crashed minutes after take-off from Abuja's airport. All but 6 perished in the disaster.

* November 10, 2006: OAS Service Helicopter crashed in Warri, Delta state killing four on board.

* August 2, 2007: Bristow-owned helicopter crashed inside ExxonMobil facility in Port Harcourt.

* March 15, 2008: Beechcraft 1900D plane marked 5N-JAH, belonging to Wing Aviation crashed in Cross River State. The wreakage was not found until 6 months after. All four crew members died.

* March 14, 2002: A helicopter belonging to the Joint Task Force (JTF) crashed in Kabong, Jos, killing all members onboard including four senior police officers.

* May 4, 2002: Executive Airline Services (EAS) BAC-1-11-525Ft aircraft crashed at Aminu Kano International Airport Kano, killing 70 people.

* December 10 2005: A Port Harcourt bound Sosoliso Airlines flight 1145 crash-landed in Port Harcourt Airport, killing 109 passengers including 60 students of Jesuit Loyola College Abuja.

* October 22, 2005: A twin Engine Boeing 737, belonging to Belview Airline crashed in Lisa Village, Ogun State and killed all the 117 passengers on board.

* October 29, 2006: An ADC aircraft crashed when it took off from Abuja, killing 105 people on board.

* November 10, 2006: A six-seater helicopter belonging to Odengene Air Shuttle (OAS) crashed in Delta State and killed two people.

* September 16 2006: Air Force plane crashed in Benue State killing Army generals.

* March 15, 2008: A twin-turbo Prop 19-seater aircraft belonging to Wings Aviation Ltd crashed in Calabar while on a routine flight from MMA, Lagos.

* March 8, 2011: HS-125 chartered aircraft crashed in Bauchi. No casualty.

July 29, 2011: A Kwara State-bound helicopter crashed in Osun State killing all on board including the Managing Director of Josepdam Group of Companies, Mrs. Josephine Oluwadamilola Kuteyi and her personal assistant.




-the guardian