By Adadareporters
A Nigerian Air Force (NAF) MI-35P helicopter, Friday, crashed and exploded in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, our correspondent gathered.
All the five crew members survived and have been evacuated to a military facility for treatment, it was learnt. However, the cause of the crash remains unestablished.
NAF’s spokesman, Air Cdre Edward Gabkwet, in a statement, said the crash occurred at about 7.45am shortly after the aircraft took off for an operation against economic saboteurs in Rivers State.
According to him, “Fortunately, the entire crew of five survived the crash with very minor injuries and are currently being attended to at NAF Medical Centre Port Harcourt.”
He said the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, had moved to Port Harcourt to assess the situation for himself and “see to the wellbeing of the crew and give further directives.”
Gabkwet said the incident was yet again a grim reminder of the dangers associated with military flying and “the risks NAF pilots and technicians experience in their onerous tasks of defending our nation and deterring criminal elements from their nefarious activities.”
