Ime Akpan
Arising from concerns about the crash a Boeing 737-MAX 8 aircraft operated by Ethiopian Airlines on Sunday, March 10 in which all 157 on board died, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has said that no Nigerian carrier has that aircraft type in its fleet.
It would be recalled that the aircraft, Flight ET 302, on its way to Nairobi from Addis Ababa, crashed six minutes after takeoff, ploughing into a field near Tulu Fara village outside the town of Bishoftu, 40 miles south-east of the Ethiopian capital.
The cause of the crash has not yet been determined, but the disaster was the second involving the new aircraft in the past four months.
In October, a Lion Air plane crashed into the sea off the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, killing all 189 people onboard.
In a statement on Tuesday, NCAA spokesman, Mr. Sam Adurogboye, said the agency was watching the developments from the crash and assured air passengers of that “there is no cause for alarm.”
“However , the Authority, in line with its safety oversight mandate enshrined in the Civil Aviation Act 2006, is consciously monitoring the development (s) with a view to take the necessary steps that will enhance the safety of all aircraft in operation within the Nigerian airspace.
“It would be recalled that an Ethiopian Airline B737 -Max 8 crashed on Sunday 10th March, 2019 killing all the souls on board after which the Airline and some other countries have grounded the accident aircraft type in their operations.
“This is to assure the public that NCAA will continue to ensure that safety regulations are strictly adhered to for the safety of all in Nigeria.
“Our heart is with the Airline and families of the victims of the accident,” said Adurogboye.
Similarly, the minister of state for aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, assured Nigeria currently has Boeing 737-MAX on its register, and therefore no cause for concern. “Aaviation is one the world over, and any accident anywhere is a tragedy to the global aviation industry. Nigeria, identifies and commiserates with the Ethiopian aviation authorities, those who have lost loved ones, including two distinguished Nigerians, in their moment of grief.
“As we continue to mourn the ET crash in Addis, and pray for the victims, we wish to reassure Nigerians that we do not have any Boeing 737-MAX on Nigeria’s register to worry about. Civil Aviation Authority has issued the needed advisory, please,” said Sirika in a statement
