escape, Wednesday, for some top officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation (NNPC) as they cheated death by the whiskers when the corporation’s
aircraft in which they were traveling overshot the runway and crash landed at
the Osubi Airstrip in Warri, Delta State.
Though there was no
fatality in the accident which occurred at about mid-day, it however sent
jitters down the spines of people especially as it came barely a year after
some NNPC officials were killed in a plane crash in Lagos.
A statement signed
by the Acting Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, NNPC,
Tumini Green, confirming the incident, said there were no casualties.
He said that the
appropriate aviation agencies had been notified of the incident and they had
begun investigations.
The aircraft tagged
5NNOC HS125, operated by Aero Contractors was said to be on a routine operation
from Abuja to Warri when it overshot the runway of the airport.
An eyewitness said
residents in neighboring Osubi community had trooped to the airstrip when news
filtered into town that a plane almost crashed at the airport.
The witness said
the prompt rescue operation provided by Shell fire fighters saved the aircraft
from bursting in flame as the airstrip was immediately shut down temporarily as
a result of the incident.
