…Dele Ogunyemi, Ibadan…
Some Abuja-bound National Conference delegates including former National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr. Lanre Ogundipe and an officer in the Accountant General’s Office, Mr. Demola Akinlabi narrowly escape an air crash involving an Overland Airways aircraft on Monday.
The air crash was averted in the early hours of the day very close to Minna, Niger state capital, when the aircraft’s windshield reportedly got broken mid-air, a development which compelled the pilot to hurriedly make a detour to Lagos.
It was further gathered that the aircraft with about 57 people on board had taken off from Ibadan few minutes after 8 o’clock in the morning, heading for Abuja.
”We were midway in the Niger State airspace when the aircraft’s windshield got broken and the pilot made a detour to Lagos,” one of the passengers confided in inquisitive newsmen.
Also confirming the incident, Mr. Ogundipe stated that the aircraft along with the passengers were still at one of the hangars at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos, as at the time of filing in this report.
ENDS.