Keyamo Gives NSIB 10 Days To Release Investigative Report On Diverted Aircraft 

November 27, (THEWILL) – The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development,  Festus Keyamo (SAN), has directed the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) to release investigative reports on Flight NUA0504 within 10 days.

Keyamo gave the directive on Monday, in Abuja at a meeting held with the leadership of the ministry and Heads of Agencies under the ministry.

THEWILL reports that a United Nigeria Flight NUA0504, operating from MM2 in Lagos en route Abuja, had temporarily diverted to the Asaba International Airport in Delta State on Sunday.

While the airlines claimed bad weather conditions for the incident, the Minister noted that the pilot and the cabin crew were not familiar with Nigerian terrain.

“For the incidents that happened recently in the country, some are classified as minor, and some serious incidents. But, we did not have any fatalities. However, we have some preliminary steps and precautions that we are taking as a ministry and the regulators.

“Because of the incident that happened yesterday, where a flight to Abuja ended up in Asaba. They must have their reports within ten days of what really transpired.

“The transcript from the tower of Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) indicated that the pilot took off from Lagos, headed to Asaba, not Abuja.

“There was no weather problem yesterday, NiMet’s DG is here. It was a question of wet lease plane. The pilots and the cabin crew were foreigners. They were not familiar with the Nigerian terrain. So, it was purely an issue of in-house administrative issues.

“We have agreed, from now, any wet lease coming into Nigeria must have a Nigerian pilot and Nigerians as its cabin crew,” he said.

Keyamo also directed NSIB to deepen efforts to produce its investigative reports on other incidents that happened within the last two weeks.

The Minister directed the Director-General of Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to hold a crucial briefing with all pilots and cabin crew of wet lease in Nigeria within 72 hours.