A military helicopter from the Nigerian Air Force crash-landed and exploded at the NAF Base in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State.
The crash, which took place at approximately 7:50 am on Friday, December 1, has left many questioning the circumstances leading to the unfortunate event.
“I was inside my apartment when I heard this thunderous sound at the NAF Base,” a source said.
“The next thing I saw was a thick flame. I don’t know if there are casualties because I can’t go close to the scene for now. But I heard a blast twice.”
The NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, verified the crash in a statement, noting that the NAF MI-35P had initiated an operation against oil thieves in Rivers State. He further mentioned that five individuals aboard sustained minor injuries but survived.
The statement read,
“A Nigerian Air Force (NAF) MI-35P helicopter has crashed at Port Harcourt today, December 1, 2023. The unfortunate incident occurred at about 7.45 am shortly after the aircraft took off for an operation against economic saboteurs in Rivers State.
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.’
The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, is en route to the location to evaluate the situation, as mentioned by him.
“The Chief of Air Staff is currently en route to Port Harcourt to assess the situation for himself, see to the wellbeing of the crew, and give further directives.
“An incident of this nature is 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, ” the statement added.
