“I raced to the scene of the crash just in time. The plane didn’t explode in the sky. It took about 10 minutes before it went up in flames. When I got there, I tried to open the emergency door, hoping that could salvage the lives of the passengers, but it was firmly locked. Those who couldn’t come near to the plane yelled at me to leave it as it might explode and barely five minutes after that, the plane actually went up in flames.” This was an account given by Akin Aina, the General Secretary, Akande/Toyin Community Development Association, said.
Aina whose house was some 500 metres away from the scene of the crash, told our correspondent that he ran to the scene of the accident hoping offer emergency assistance.
He maintained that the plane did not explode immediately after it fell.
Aina who praised the pilot for piloting the aircraft away from densely populated areas rescue officials had difficulty helping.
Not a single soul of the 153 persons on the aircraft could be saved. Apart from those on the plane scores were killed on ground.
Last Sunday a Dana Air Boeing MD-83, operating as flight 9J-992 crashed on top of a two-storey in Iju-Ishaga Area of the commercial city of Lagos.
The high casualty figure has resulted in intense anger and indignation with call for punitive measures against those suspected to be responsible.
Anxiety mounts over state of Lagos mortuary: Bodies recovered from the scene of the crash have been deposited at the Ikeja mortuary otherwise known as Lekan Ogunsola Memorial House. But there are fears over the state of the mortuary which oozes terrible stench.
When Sunday Trust correspondent visited the mortuary on Thursday, many relatives who had come for identification and collection of the deceased bodies were seen covering their noses with their hands. Many wore muffs covering their noses and mouths.
Those who could hardly withstand the smell were also seen spitting around.
A young man said he had to run from the morgue to the entrance gate of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) because he was afraid of falling sick as the smell that enveloped the morgue’s surroundings became much more stronger.
“Some of us who fear outbreak of epidemic had to take to our heels. You can also see people using their hands to cover their noses and mouths. I can’t say because I have come to collect a corpse, I should die myself,” the young man said.
Another female relative of a victim, Deborah Ekong who was at the mortuary said she was already experiencing dizziness based because of the stench from the morgue.
An attendant at the mortuary who refused to give his name said the odour emanating for the morgue was not unusual but it became heavier this time because of the large number of corpses.
He also said the crowd wasn’t necessary because one or two people from respective families would have been enough.
Prof. Onwuliri for burial June 23: The family of the late Prof Celestine Onwuliri has said it is prepared to bury it member.
Chief Athanasius Onwuliri, an uncle to the deceased immediate past Vice Chancellor of the Federal University Owerri (FUTO) disclosed this in an exclusive chat with Sunday Trust yesterday in his country home in Umueje, Umuokazi in Amuzu community in Ahiazu Mbaise local government area of Imo State.
He said Saturday 23rd June 2012 has been fixed as the burial date of the academic whose body was recovered in tact from the crash site.
Chief Onwuliri said since the family got information about the death, they have been preparing to finalize all traditional rites both at the deceased’s paternal and maternal homes before the actual burial date.
He expressed happiness that he was not asked to collect ashes as the body of his late brother adding that his body being whole indicated that he died as a living saint.
While recounting their losses over the death, he said that the sudden demise of their brother has created a big vacuum that would be difficult to fill.
He said though the family has many professors, it will take many years to fill the vacuum created.
He described the late Onwuliri was a pillar of their family and a friend to all who brought succour to many sons and daughters of Amuzi in Mbaise and Imo State at large.
He said the late professor whom he fondly called COE was a Knight of St John International.
A 91-year-old eldest person in the family, Chief Hyacinth Onwuliri who spoke in his sick chair described the sudden death of his younger brother as a painful and serious blow to the family.
He described as a liberal and successful man right from childhood.
He said the late Onwuliri who was born in 1947 recorded enormous successes.
He had five children, four males and a female, all are graduates.
At the time Sunday Trust visited the family compound, a condolence register was open for well wishers to make comments about the late professor.
Diezani Alison-Madueke mourns NNPC staff: Minister of Petroleum Diezani Alison-Madueke on Thursday signed condolence registers in honour of four staff of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) who died in the crash.
The deceased are: Levi Ajuonuma, Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, NNPC; Okikiolu Olukayode, Manager, Pipelines and Depot Projects, ETD Abuja; Inuwa Ahmed, Deputy Manager, PSC Planning, NAPIMS; and Nagidi Ibrahim, Senior Contract Specialist, Brass NLNG.
The depressed looking minister who arrived the NNPC towers Abuja few minutes to one o’clock went straight to where condolence registers were displayed.
Four framed photographs of the dead were set on white-cloth covered tables, each photo with its name and a register in front.
For Ajuonuma she wrote, “We thank God for Levi’s life and for the impact that he had on the lives of so many people. In this terrible time we pray that God will give his family the protection, guidance and grace to get through this most painful of periods.
“May God keep him now in the bosom of his everlasting grace. May his gentle soul rest in peace.”
The late Ajuonuma used to work closely with the minister.
Though officially spokesperson for NNPC, he was the one mostly contacted on issues involving the petroleum ministry and its minister.
1,000 phone calls: Yusuf Alli, a former long jumper, yesterday said that he was touched by the concern shown by Nigerians over the fears that he was killed in Dana plane disaster.
Alli told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in telephone interview in Lagos that he had received no fewer than a thousand phone calls seeking to confirm the report.
Dana Airliner crashed on June 3 on Iju-Ishaga Area of Lagos State claiming the lives 153 passengers and other residents.
“Someone by the name of Yusuf Alli was listed in the flight manifest throwing sports lovers and administrators into panic,” he said.
Ali said he was happy to be alive since he was not the one listed on the manifest of the ill-fated plane.
“I was receiving calls for about three days; they said they saw a Yusuf Alli’s name in the newspapers.
“The Director-General of the National Sports Commission (NSC) called me, the Deputy Governor of Lagos State and sports administrators called me.
“Even those that I did not expect to call me at all called. I was truly touched by their act. God bless them all.’’
Alli said that he had to switch off his mobile phones for three days because the calls kept coming and he got tired of receiving calls.
He however, condoled with the families of the deceased, saying God in his infinite mercy would give them the fortitude to bear the loss.
“I pray to God to give the families of the bereaved the fortitude to bear this loss. This is a huge loss to Nigerians.”
Call for punitive measures: The Federal Universities Pensioners Association (FUPA) has urged the federal government to ensure a full investigation on the Dana plane crash and all those found guilty be brought to book irrespective of their status.
The national president of the association, Dr Ayuba Audu Kura made this known in an interview with Sunday Trust, saying that punishing those who have links with the accident will serve as deterrent to others.
“The loss of this huge number of lives is an unfortunate development. We want to commiserate with the federal government and the families of all those who lost their lives. We also wish to advice the federal government to take decisive action by bring to book all those who are found guilty in the events that led to the crash. We are happy that the federal government has ordered for investigation. While investigation to find out what actually happened is good, punishing those who may be found guilty would be better for the country,” Dr Kura said.
He said the federal government and all stakeholders in the aviation sector need to come together to find ways of averting a similar occurrence in the future, saying that Nigeria can no longer afford to be losing some of its best hands to plane crashes.
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