Passengers safe as Skypower Express aircraft crashes at Owerri airport 

A Cessna 172 aircraft, with nationality and registration marks 5N-ASR, operated by Skypower Express on Tuesday night crashed in the approach area of Runway of Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri, Imo State.

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has launched investigation into the incident.

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According to Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji, the director, public affairs and family assistance, Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, the aircraft was originally en route from Kaduna International Airport to Port Harcourt International Airport when the crew declared an emergency, necessitating a diversion to Owerri.

Oladeji in a statement said the aircraft subsequently crashed in the approach area of Runway 17 with four people on board at the time of the accident, with no fatalities reported so far.

“Following the occurrence, airport emergency services were successfully activated and arrived on site promptly. Reports indicate that there was no post-crash fire, and the runway remains active for flight operations, with other aircraft taking off safely after the incident.

“Efforts are currently underway to coordinate the recovery and evacuation of the distressed aircraft from the crash site to allow for a detailed wreckage examination,” she said.

Oladeji added that the NSIB has officially activated its protocols in accordance with its mandate.

Speaking on the accident, Alex Badeh, the director general of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, stated, “We express our deepest sympathies to the management of Skypower Express and are glad that no fatalities have been reported so far. The NSIB has activated its protocols, and our team is already coordinating with authorities to secure the site.”

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers.

She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay.

She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos.

As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender.

She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies.

Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category.

She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category.

She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations.

Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.

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