The Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau has revealed the circumstances that led to the death of a Nollywood actor, John Paul Odonwodo, popularly known as Junior Pope.
So also did the NSIB release its position on air incidents involving Dana Air and Air Peace at a news conference on Friday.
At the news conference, the NSIB also directed Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority to review Dana Air Limited’s training programme and standard operating procedures
The Bureau said the review should be done with a view to highlighting Crew Resource Management and Threat and Error Management as tools in management of abnormal or emergency operations.
NSIB directives are contained in four incidents and accidents reports and 20 safety recommendations released at a virtual news conference.
The news conference was jointly addressed by NSIB’s Director-General, Captain Alex Badeh, and Director of Transport Investigation, Abdullahi Babanya
The Bureau recommended: “The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) should ensure that Dana Air Limited adheres to standard phraseology in communicating indication malfunctions during abnormal or emergency operations.
“NCAA should ensure Dana Air Limited comply with timely use of Checklist/Quick Reference Handbook particularly at critical phases of flight when dealing with abnormal and emergency situations in line with standard company operating procedures.
“Nigeria Airspace Management Agency should ensure that Air Traffic Controllers always insist on communication of specific malfunctions with standard phraseology, in this instance, the use of `indicated system malfunction…’ rather than ‘gear disagree.’”
The recommendations were sequel to preliminary report “on serious incident involving MD-82 aircraft operated by Dana with nationality and registration marks 5N-BKl which occurred at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on April 23”.
The preliminary report of the Bureau also revealed how Junior Pope and four other Nollywood personalities died on April 10, 2024 when their boat capsized on Anam River in Anambra State en route to Asaba Jetty in Delta State.
According to the report, the boat, which was conveying 12 Nollywood movie production crew and the driver, was on high speed when it crashed into a crossing local fishing canoe.
It said: “The speed boat capsized and all occupants were flung into the Anam River.
“Five passengers were fatally injured and seven were rescued alive.
“The NSIB was not officially notified but got to know about the accident through social media.
“Investigators from the Enugu Regional office of NSIB were dispatched to the accident site on April 12, 2024.
“The boat driver was not certified.
“The fibre boat was not registered with the National Inland Waterways Authority.”
According to the report, rowdiness in the boat distracted the driver not to look out as required, adding that the boat was on high speed and the crossing canoe was moving at a much slower speed.
It stated that the only occupant of the canoe, on sighting the fast approaching boat, jumped into the river and escaped.
It added: “Five passengers on the boat were fatally injured while the remaining seven passengers and the driver survived the crash.
“Only one passenger on the outboard engine fibre boat was wearing a life jacket.
“The only passenger wearing a life jacket came with it and was not provided by the operator.
“The passenger wearing the life jacket was one of the survivors.
“The boat was fitted with an outboard engine.
“Rescue operation was not timely and there were no trained divers around to assist in the operation.”
The NSIB also released aviation incident final reports of an incident involving Embra 145 LR Aircraft operated by Air Peace Limited with national and registration marks 5N-BVD, which occurred in Kaduna (civil) airport on January 14, 202
The second aviation final report was an on ground collision between a lavatory service truck with fleet number 9/5 operated by Skyway Aviation Handling Company Plc (SAHCO) and a parked Boeing 737-300 aircraft with national and registration marks 5N-DAB.
According to the report, the incident that occurred on November 21, 2021 involved the aircraft owned and operated by Max Air Limited.
Bade said that the publication of the four reports served as a testament to NSIB’s commitment to safety and underscored its mission to prevent similar occurrences in the future
