Another military helicopter crashes, kills three

November 15, 2014 by Fidelis Soriwei

Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosun
| credits: http://thecitizenng.com

An Air Force fighter helicopter that was deployed for military action against the Boko Haram crashed in Adamawa State.

The Defence Headquarters confirmed the death of three crew members in the military helicopter which crashed on Thursday night.

News of the latest crash came about two months after a Nigerian Air Force fighter jet was reported missing during routine operations in Adamawa State on September 12.

The Defence authorities said in a statement posted on its official blog, http://defenceinfo.mil.ng/, that the crash occurred by 10pm on Thursday around the Federal University of Technology, Yola, Adamawa State.

It was stated that rescue workers worked throughout the night to preserve the wreckage of the aircraft and the crash scene.

The statement read, “At about 2200 hours yesterday 13 November 2014, a ground attack helicopter on an armed patrol crashed around the Federal University of Technology, Yola, Adamawa State.

“The crew of three was lost in the ill-fated accident.

“Rescue party worked throughout the night to preserve the wreckage of the aircraft and scene of the accident for proper investigation to be carried out. Further details would be made known later.”

However, a source, who confided in our correspondent, said that the aircraft, an M-1 35 helicopter, crashed at Sangere in Girei Local Government Area of the state while on a mission to prevent insurgents from advancing to Yola.

The source said that the aircraft was deployed to halt the insurgents’ advance to Yola after they were dislodged by the military from Mubi on Thursday night.

It was stated that the aircraft crashed about 10 Kilometres from the Adamawa State capital.

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosun, had said during a recent forum at the University of Ibadan that the Air Force had made over 6, 000 successful missions in the operations area.

The missions involve airlift of troops and equipment, rotation of forces, evacuation of casualty, attack missions and surveillance operations and reconnaissance missions.