By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
The Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) has confirmed an accident involving a Bell 429 helicopter with Registration Marks 5N-MDA owned and operated by Nigerian Police Force (NPF).
The confirmation was contained in a press statement made available to journalists on Thursday by Tunji Oketunbi, General Manager, Public Affairs of AIB titled: Nigeria Police Helicopter Occurrence.
The statement read in parts: “On 26th January, 2022, Accident Investigation Bureau, Nigeria was notified by Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) about an accident involving a Bell 429 helicopter with Registration Marks 5N-MDA owned and operated by Nigerian Police Force (NPF)”.
“The accident occurred on 26th January, 2022 around 7:30pm (Local Time) at Bauchi Airport”.
“The NPF helicopter had departed Abuja at 16:54 UTC for Bauchi with Six persons on board maintaining 5,500ft. There were some injuries but no fatality”.
“The investigating agency, AIB-N needs and hereby solicits for your assistance. We want the public to know that we would be amenable to receiving any video clips, evidences, or information any member of the public may have of the accident that can assist us with this investigation”.
“The Bureau will appreciate that the general public and press respect the privacy of the people involved and NOT assume the cause of the accident until formal report is released”.
