THE NATION MONDAY, JUNE 4, 2012
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NEWS DANA AIR PLANE CRASH
Timeline of air crashes
•An injured man at the scene of the crash
•Two men mounting a tank to get water to put out the fire caused by the crash...yesterday
•Ruins caused by the crash
PHOTOS: ISAAC AYODELE
What Dana Air says of itself
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ANA Airlines Limited (Dana Air) is a member of Dana Group of Companies Plc. The airline began commercial flight operations on Monday, November 10, 2008 and has grown to become one of Nigeria’s leading airlines, operating daily flights to Abuja, Calabar, Lagos, Port Harcourt and Uyo. The Dana Air fleet currently consists of Boeing MD83 aircrafts which have a higher number of passenger seats and a larger cargo capacity than currently available in the country. The airline offers a two class service with 12 seats in its dedicated ‘Smart Class’ business cabin and 128 seats in its spacious ‘Traveller Class’ economy cabin. Dana Air places a high premium
on safety. The airline adheres strictly to the maintenance schedule for all aircrafts in its fleet, as prescribed by the manufacturers and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority. More detailed and scheduled checks of the Boeing MD83 aircrafts are, however, carried out at aircrafts maintenance facilities overseas. Dana Air’s most prized asset is her staff. Led by Jacky Hathiramani, Chief Executive Officer,the Dana Air staff are highly motivated to deliver excellent service to all guests of the airline. Every cadre of staff participates in regular training programmes and update courses to ensure quality at all levels of operation. Recipient of several local and international awards for aviation
service excellence,the airline is reputed for its efficient customer services,world-class in-flight services, on-time departures and arrivals,innovative e-airline products and high safety and quality standards. Its operations base is at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 2 (MMA2) Lagos. Dana Air’s vision is “To be recognised and respected as Nigeria’s most reliable and customer-friendly airline”, and her mission is “To earn the loyalty and respect of our customers by consistently demonstrating our commitment to service, and providing affordable regional air transport services that focus on innovation, quality and service excellence.”
•November 20, 1969: Nigeria Airways BAC VC10 crashes on landing killing 87 on board. • January 22, 1973: Royal Jordanian Airlines flight 707 carrying 171 Nigerian Muslims returning from Mecca and 5 crewmen died in crash in Kano, Nigeria. •March 1, 1978: Nigeria Airways F28-1000 crashes in Kano killing 16. •November 28, 1983: Nigeria Airways F28-1000 crashes on approach in Enugu killing 53 on board. •December 1988: Skypower Brandeironte aircraft overshot Ilorin Airport runway All the passengers died. •26 Jun 1991; Okada Air BAC-111; Sokoto, Nigeria: Fuel starvation during holding pattern over Sokoto due to heavy rain. Flight from Benin City diverted from Kano due to heavey rain. None of the three-crew members and three of the 52 passengers sustained fatal injuries. •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, three people died. • July 11, 1991: Nigeria Airways DC-8-61 crashes in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia from system failure killing 261 on board. • September 26, 1992: Nigerian Air Force A C-130 plane crashes minutes after take-off from Lagos. All 200 on board killed. •June 24, 1995: Harka Air Services Tupolev 34 crashes on landing in Lagos killing 16. • November 13, 1995: Nigeria Airways Boeing 737-2F9 crashes 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 a lagoon with all on board killed. •January 31, 1997: SkyPower Express Airways Embraer 110PIA crashes on landing in Yola killing 5. • September 12, 1997: A NAF Dornier 228-212 in Nguru, Bornu State ran into a ditch during the 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 poor, densely populated suburb of Kano. 76 on board killed, including 72 on the ground bringing it to a total 148 dead. • 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, 4 people on board died. • 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. The airport had no perimeter fence and herdsmen usually take their cattle across the tarmac, sometimes abandoning them there. • 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 airl iner with 117 people on board crashes and disintegrates in flames 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. Most on board were for schoolchildren going home for Christmas. • September 17, 2006: A 18-seater Dornier 228 Air Force transport plane, carrying 15 senior army officers and three crew members crashed leaving only three survivors that sustained serious injuries. The plane with registration number 228-212 crashed in northern part of the country at Oko village in Vandeikya local government area of Benue State at about 10:30 a.m. • October 29, 2006: Aviation Development Corporation Airline Boeing 737 with 104 on board crashes minutes after take-off from Abuja’s airport during a rain storm. All but 6 perished in the disaster. The spiritual leader of Nigeria’s Sunni Muslims, His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Maccido was among the dead. • November 10, 2006: OAS Service Helicopter crashed in Warri, Delta state killing 4 on board. • August 2, 2007: Bristow-owned helicopter crashed inside ExxonMobil facility in Port Harcout. • March 15, 2008: Beechcraft 1900D plane marked 5N-JAH, belonging to Wing Aviation crashed in the mountainous forest of Busi in Cross River State on its way to Obudu airstrip. The wreakage was not found until 6 months after the disappearance of the aircraft. All 4 man crew on board died. •March 14, 2012: A Helicopter belonging to the Joint Task Force (JTF) crashes in Kabong, Jos, killing all members onboard including 4 senior Police officers.