Put Helicopter Crash Behind You, Air Chief Tells Survivors

Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar has charged personnel of the Nigerian Air Force, especially those involved in the crash of a MI-35P attack helicopter in Port Harcourt, Rivers State to put the incident behind them.

He told the officers to see it as a setup for a comeback and improved safety measures.

The helicopter crashed on December 1, 2023 while on operations against economic saboteurs.

The air chief travelled to Port Harcourt to assess the situation and visited the crew where he encouraged the personnel of 115 Special Operations Group (115 SOG) to improve on their safety measures because Nigerians expect much from them.

In a statement issued yesterday by NAF director of public relations and information, Air Cdre Edward Gabkwet, said while addressing the personnel of 115 SOG, Abubakar encouraged them to see the “setback as a setup” for a resilient comeback, channelling efforts toward thwarting the activities of economic saboteurs and countering oil theft.

He said, “You must therefore never be discouraged as the hopes of millions of Nigerians rest on our shoulders. The realisation of these aspirations is hinged on our ability to combat all forms of criminality that threaten our peace and stability.”

Abubakar further charged NAF personnel to see air accidents or mishaps as impetus to propel them towards seeking improved safety management measures while remaining undeterred and focused in tackling the myriads of security threats facing the nation.

“Times like these are a sad reminder of the inherent risks in military aviation, especially when flying activities, occasioned by our current security challenges, have tremendously increased. As we continue to fly intensively, incidents are bound to occur. Nevertheless, we must continue to ensure we minimise the risk factors as reasonably practicable,” he said.

Air Marshal Abubakar commended the crew for the professional manner they handled the emergency situation they found themselves in.

He said, “Your actions were commendable and a decisive factor in mitigating the extent of damage to public property and loss of lives.”

The CAS stated that 115 SOG has been well known for its gallantry and fighting spirit and the mere presence of the MI-35P helicopters on the battlefield has been a game changer.

He added that the helicopters have over the years, continued to strike fear deep into the hearts of terrorists and other criminals while at the same time boosting the morale of surface forces.

Air Marshal Abubakar assured the troops of their welfare and other needs to ensure they effectively carry out their assigned duties.

He informed that he had directed for the immediate commencement of the accident investigation, “So that we can learn exactly what happened and prevent future occurrences.”

Earlier, the CAS had visited the five crew members of the ill-fated aircraft and directed the commander of the Medical Centre to ensure they received the utmost attention required.