NAF Helicopter Crashes in Port Harcourt 

•Five crew members survive crash as Air Force chief visits survivors

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

The Nigerian Air Force Headquarters, yesterday, announced the crash  of  a (NAF) MI-35P helicopter  in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State.

A statement issued in Abuja by the Spokesman of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, said the incident  occurred at about  7.45a.m. yesterday 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,” it said. 

“The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, is currently enroute Port Harcourt to assess the situation for himself and see to the well-being of the crew and give further directives,” the statement added.

It further noted that “incident of this nature, is yet, 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.”