NSIB UPDATE

 NSIB releases seven accident reports, issues safety recommendations to Agencies 

ZAINAB JUNAID 

In a bit to meet up new responsibilities, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau(NSIB) has simultaneously released seven final reports of air mishaps that occurred within the Nigerian airspace and also issued twenty (20) safety recommendations to the Aviation regulatory bodies in order to prevent future recurrence. 

The first under its new name, the reports, according to the Director-General of the Bureau, Engr Akin Olateru, in a virtual meeting held with stakeholders on Thursday, are the serious incident involving Bristow Helicopters Nigeria LTD, Embraer 135 Aircraft with nationality and registration marks 5N-BSN which occurred at Port Harcourt military Airport (NAF BASE), Port Harcourt, on the 9th March 2020; the serious incident involving ATR-72 Aircraft with nationality and registration marks 5N- BPG owned and operated by Overland Airways limited, which occurred at Ilorin International Airport, Nigeria on 29th November 2014; the serious incident involving Boeing 737-300 Aircraft belonging to Air Peace Limited with nationality and registration Marks 5N-BUO which occurred at FL310 en route Enugu from Lagos on 14th December 2018 and the serious incident involving British Aerospace BAE 125-800B Aircraft with nationality and registration marks 5N-BOO operated by Gyro Aviation limited, which occurred at Port Harcourt, Nigeria on 16th July 2020. 

Others are the serious incident involving British Aerospace BAE 125-800B aircraft with nationality and registration marks 5N-BOO operated by Gyro Aviation limited, which occurred at Osubi airstrip, Warri, Nigeria on 10TH September 2020; the serious incident involving a Dornier 328-100 aircraft with nationality and registration marks 5N-DOX, operated by Dornier Aviation Nigeria AIEP (DANA) Limited, which occurred at Port Harcourt military Airport on 23rd January 2019 and the serious incident involving Airbus 330-243 aircraft operated by Middle East Airlines with nationality and registration marks OD-MEA and a parked Boeing 777 aircraft operated by Turkish Airlines with nationality and registration marks TC-LJC which occurred at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos on 29th July 2020.

The newly released reports make a total of 82 aircraft accident reports released by the Bureau since its establishment in 2007 and a total of 63 reports released by the current administration from 2017 to date.

Engr Olateru also confirmed that a lot of activities were going on in the background with five years development plans for the agency.

On the safety recommendations, he said, "The Bureau has released a total of two hundred and seventy two ( 272) safety recommendations since the inception of the Bureau of which a total of One hundred and ninety one (191) of the recommendations were equally released by the current management.

“NSIB is committed to quality investigation of accident and serious incident through improving of processes, human capacity and equipment, among others.

“We remain committed through improving our processes, human capacity and equipment, to fulfil our mandate effectively, purposefully, and professionally."