A team of accident investigators from Nigeria’s Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) has left Lagos for São Tomé to commence investigation into the crash of An – 74 aircraft, which occurred last week on the West African Island.
The invitation to Nigeria’s AIB came from São Tomé and Principe through the Banjul Accord Group Accident Investigation Agency (BAGAIA), an arm of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
Tunji Oketunbi, Head, Public Affairs of AIB stated that all costs and expenses associated with the said investigation would be borne 100% by the government of São Tomé and Principe, according to It was learnt that the An-74 was performing its take-off run in favourable weather on runway 29 at Sao Tome when at some point one or multiple birds collided with the aircraft.
Report says the Russian aircraft, whilst doing an aborted take-off reportedly ran beyond the end of the runway where it fell down an embankment and was damaged beyond repair. Although the aircraft was badly damaged, all the six crew members survived with injuries.
