Danger averted as light aircraft on test-run crashes on Lagos road

<p>• Two survivors rescued, in hospital • NSIB begins investigation</p>, <p>A major disaster was narrowly missed in Lagos, yesterday, when a distressed light-aircraft on test-run crash-landed on busy Oba Akran road in Ikeja, on a gas pipeline and a few metres from a filling station.</p>, <p>The Jabiru J430 aircraft, with Registration 5N-CCQ, was on its return leg of test-run when it required an emergency landing less than a kilometre from the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA) runway 18Left.</p>, <p>Video footage of nearby Closed-circuit Television (CCTV) showed the airplane impacting a streetlight pole on a fast descent, before crashing on the road and in flames.</p>, <p>The incident, which occurred at about 3:30 p.m. threw the commercial corridor into pandemonium. Timely recovery of residents, however, led to the recovery of the two souls onboard.</p>, <p>The Jabiru J430, a light single-engine airplane, was operated by Air First Hospitality and Tours limited.</p>, <p>The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), which has begun investigation, confirmed that the aircraft was on a test flight within Lagos and with two souls onboard, before it crashed with no fatalities recorded.</p>, <p>The aircraft caught fire on impact but the spread was contained, the Bureau noted.</p>, <p>The NSIB solicited information from the general public in the form of pictures, video or recording evidence to assist in conducting a comprehensive investigation.</p>, <p>In a swift response, the Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, visited the crash site at about 6p.m. yesterday. He was full of admiration for residents that rescued the victims.</p>, <p>Sanwo-Olu said: “The two people onboard were rescued safely and are currently at a hospital receiving treatment. We do not know the cause of the crash but we are thankful because we got a quick response both from the Lagos State emergency management authority, and the residents, especially two gallant citizens, Oluwafemi Kapo and Opeyemi.</p>, <p>“While others were running away, two of th