A military fighter jet involved in the counter-insurgency operations in the North-East on Wednesday night crashed at the Yola International Airport. Two pilots involved in the accident have been taken to an Air force military hospital for medical treatment.
One of our correspondents gathered that the crash was as a result of a burst tyre which occurred around 8pm on Wednesday when the fighter jet returning from a military operation tried to land at the runway of the Yola International Airport.
The two surviving pilots had succeeded in disembarking from the jet, but they however sustained injuries in the process.
It took the intervention of air safety officials to put out the fire which engulfed the aircraft immediately after it crash-landed.
Military authorities in Adamawa State, especially the 37 Air Force Base Strike Group responsible for the aircraft involved in the counter-insurgency operations refused to comment on the crash, claiming that they did not have the authority to speak on the accident.
When asked to comment on the incident, the base spokesperson, Squadron Leader K. Ali, neither denied nor confirmed the crash. He asked one of our correspondents to contact Abuja because “I do not have the authority to speak on such matter.”
In Abuja, the Acting Director Defence Information, Brig. Gen. Rabe Abubakar, confirmed the incident. He told one of our correspondents that the military had commenced investigation into the cause of the accident.
He also said that the incident had nothing to do with “enemy fire.” He said, “The Air Force aircraft skidded off the runway and stopped at a ditch. All those on board are unhurt and investigation into the minor incident is ongoing.”
Meanwhile, investigations revealed that Wednesday’s crash was the second of such an incident within two weeks. No live was lost in the two occasions. One of the airport security operatives who did not want his identity revealed said the frequency of air crashes at the airport involving fighter jets was becoming a thing of worry to the military.
Source: PUNCH
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