The Osun State Government has disagreed with the reasons given by the hanger owner, Executive Jets, of the recent aircraft which had two failed engines while Mr. Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke was on board, reports ITREALMS.
The Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke and some of his aides on Tuesday, September 5, 2023, escaped an air crash.
Earlier reports, ITREALMS gathered, had it that Adeleke was on board when a private jet owned by billionaire businessman and elder brother, Chief Adedeji Adeleke, briscally had fire spark at the take-off point at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos State, following an explosion which forced the Pilot to refuse take off.
In addition, ITREALMS gathered that the incident happened at the domestic wing of the Airport at about 9 a.m. penultimate Tuesday when the jet was about to take off from Lagos to Abuja.
ITREALMS equally gathered that the jet, with the Osun State governor on board and his top aides had taxied to the end of the runway, shortly before departure, when a loud explosion was heard from the engine of the jet, causing it to abort take-off immediately, but no death or injury was recorded.
The chief executive officer (CEO), Executive Jets, owner of the hangar where the private jet was parked, Sam Iwuajoku, disclosed that Chief Adeleke’s private jet had Foreign Object Damage (FOD) that made the aircraft experience high temperature, which resulted into the explosion.
According to him, the FOD was caused by a bird nest in one of the engines of the jet.
“At take-off, the engine had a high temperature and it was caused by a bird nest in one of the engines of the aircraft. It happens when an aircraft is parked and not properly covered so, birds will build their nest and anything they bring into the aircraft can spark high temperatures.
“It happened to one of my aircraft in 2021, we had to remove the engine and the engine was in Germany for 14 months. So, it’s a common thing in Africa because we have birds around.”
But in a reaction on Sunday, the spokesperson to the Osun State Governor, Mallam Olawale Rasheed while confirming the reported aircraft incident to ITREALMS, disagreed with hanger owner, alleging there are strong indications that the two aircraft engines were tampered with before boarding with some binding wires.
Mallam Rasheed also said the highly technically equipped aircraft was well maintained with the best technical crew and was never an unused platform where birds could build nests.
"Contrary to the claim by the hanger owner that birds' nests caused the incident, birds' nests are made with straws not bidding wires as in this case," he alleged.
As said by him, "the near fatal incident was averted shortly after boarding and less than two minutes after the commencement of taxing on the tarmac."
He revealed that an early warning noise from the engines immediately prompted the pilots to direct the evacuation of the passengers.
"Everything happened within five minutes," he declared.
Rasheed also said that early reports from the internal investigation indicated sabotage, stressing that the authorities, locally and internationally, are still investigating the incident.
"We, however want to assure the public that Governor Adeleke and his aides are safe and there was no injury or any outward explosion on the plane," he declared.
Further, he said, that the Governor expressed his deep appreciation to well wishers and supporters who have been calling since the report of the incident.
"Mr. Governor is hale and hearty," he further declared.
Remmy Nweke/DoP
No comments:
Post a Comment