Aviation
U.S. military helicopter crashes in Britain, munitions across site
LONDON – British police said on Wednesday they would be working with the U.S. Air Force and others to find out why a U.S. military helicopter crashed on the coast of eastern England, killing all four crew on board.
Wreckage included munitions was spread over a wide area of the crash site in difficult terrain.
The helicopter, a Pave Hawk assigned to the 48th Fighter Wing based at RAF Lakenheath air base, was performing a low-level training mission along the Norfolk coast when it went down in marshland on Tuesday evening.
The cause of the crash, which occurred in a nature reserve near the village of Cley next the Sea, was not known. The area is about 130 miles northeast of London.
“We will be working with our partners at the Ministry of Defence, Air Accident Investigation Branch and U.S. Air Force to gather all evidence from the scene and then recover the aircraft,” said Chief Superintendent Bob Scully of Norfolk Constabulary, the local police force.
“This is difficult terrain with marshland and tides coupled with wreckage containing munitions covering a large area,” he said in a statement.
A 400-metre (quarter mile) area around the crash site remained cordoned off to preserve public safety. No one on the ground was thought to have been hurt, authorities said.
Earlier, the 48th Fighter Wing, which also flies F-15 fighter jets, confirmed the deaths of all four airmen on board and said their names would be released 24 hours after their next-of-kin had been informed.
The Pave Hawk is made by Sikorsky Aircraft Co, a unit of United Technologies Corp.
According to the U.S. Air Force website, it is a modified version of the Army Black Hawk and its primary mission is “to conduct day or night operations into hostile environments to recover downed aircrew or other isolated personnel during war”.
RAF Lakenheath is home to Europe’s only F-15 fighter wing.
SCATTERED DEBRIS
Scully told reporters at Cley next the Sea that debris was scattered across an area about the size of a football field. Most of the debris was in marshland although some of it was vulnerable to high tides and was being removed swiftly.
Scully said a coroner, who under English law will be responsible for the investigation into the four deaths, was carrying a daylight assessment and once he had given his consent, authorities would arrange for the removal of the bodies.
“The situation that we have now is that we are obviously moving from a potential rescue operation to one of preserving the scene and carrying out an investigation,” Scully told reporters.
“We are now working with the U.S. military and the RAF (Britain’s Royal Air Force) to assist in their investigation and ours at the present time, and at some point we will hand over to the air investigation side of the military, both UK and U.S.”
A second helicopter, which had been taking part in the same training exercise as the one that crashed, had landed at the site and was still there, Scully said.
“It will be a matter for the investigation to determine whether or not there was any causal link. My understanding is that apparently not, but we don’t know. And that’s the important thing, we shouldn’t be speculating here,” Scully said.
– REUTERS
An Abuja-Accra flight experienced technical difficulties mid-air on Friday, forcing it to return to Abuja, shortly after departure.
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Board (NSIB) made the disclosure in a statement, adding that it has launched investigation into what it described as a serious accident.
Director, Public Affairs and Family Assistance, NSIB, Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji stated that preliminary investigations revealed the aircraft experienced an engine number two indication issue.
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It was gathered that the aircraft, with registration number 5NKAL which was operating a flight from the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja (DNAA), to Kotoka International Airport, Accra (DGAA).
She explained that four persons were onboard when the incident occurred. The crew immediately requested for a diversion back to Abuja due to the engine indication.
Oladeji added that the crew managed to safely land the aircraft at Abuja Airport at 18:16 UTC.
There were no injuries reported, and all individuals on board are safe.
Nigeria has acquired 12 pre-owned Alpha Jets from the French Air Force as part of efforts to enhance the operational capacity of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).
The deal, facilitated through SOFEMA, a French military and aeronautics company, was announced by Olusegun Dada, Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on via X on Thursday.
He said, “All the 12 aircraft are ready for shipping.”
The Alpha Jet, a product of Franco-German collaboration, is a versatile military aircraft designed for light attack and advanced training missions.
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Equipped to carry bombs, rockets, and missiles, the aircraft also features a gun pod for close air support.
The NAF already operates 11 Alpha Jets, but this latest procurement signals a significant boost to its fleet.
Dada also confirmed that the Air Force is expecting 24 M-346FA light attack aircraft, ordered during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The first batch of these Italian-made aircraft is expected to arrive early next year.
Air Chief Marshal Hasan Abubakar, the Chief of Air Staff, described the acquisitions as a testament to President Tinubu’s commitment to bolstering the armed forces.
“This renewal of our aircraft fleet reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring the safety and security of Nigerians,” Abubakar said.
The announcement comes on the heels of President Tinubu’s three-day state visit to France, where he met with French President Emmanuel Macron.
The visit, which took place from November 27 to November 30, highlighted deepening ties between the two nations.
To ensure the sustainability of its expanding fleet, the Air Force has proposed establishing a local maintenance hub.
Speaking in October, Abubakar noted that six units of the M-346FA aircraft were already in production, with the initial batch of three expected to be delivered in early 2025. The full fleet is projected to arrive by 2026.
“These developments underscore the importance of creating a domestic support system for the long-term upkeep of our aircraft,” Abubakar added.
As the holiday season draws near, Aero Contractors has introduced a minimum ticket price of N80,000 for all local flights.
The move, which will last until January 2024, aims to ease the financial burden on Nigerians amid the high cost of living.
Ado Sanusi, Managing Director of Aero Contractors, made the announcement on Tuesday during a press briefing, describing the fare reduction as a gesture to help Nigerians celebrate Christmas and the New Year without the stress of steep ticket prices.
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Sanusi said, “We understand the economic hardship Nigerians are facing, especially with high ticket prices, and we know the holiday season is nearby.
“In the spirit of Christmas, Aero Contractors has introduced what we call pocket-friendly Christmas prices. These fares, starting at N80,000, will apply to all our destinations, allowing Nigerians to travel without excessive costs.”
As of Tuesday afternoon, an economy class ticket from Lagos to Abuja was priced at N99,643, while business class tickets were being sold for N189,167.
Sanusi further explained that the initiative was designed to make it easier for families to reunite during the holidays.
“This is a way for us, as an organization with a long history of serving Nigerians, to give back to our loyal customers. We want to make it possible for families to meet their loved ones during this festive season without worrying about exorbitant travel costs,” he added.
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