257 Killed in Algeria Military Plane Crash

Dana Air’s operating license has been suspended after the crash of the Dana Air McDonnell Douglass jet in Lagos. According to reports, just prior to the crash, the pilot reported that both engines failed.

According to Dana Air, the Dana Group is owned and registered in Nigeria. Only the managing director, Jacky Hathiramani is Indian.

These items have also been released:

• The first officer had flown 1,100 flight hours, 800 of which (were) on the MD83 aircraft.
• The aircraft had flown over 60,000 flight hours
• The last 400-hourly check was May 30, 2012. The statutory annual maintenance was not until Sept 2012.
• The co=pilot was Mahendra Singh Rathore.
• Eight Americans, six Chinese, two Lebanese, and one each from Canada, France, Germany, India and Indonesia were aboard. Seven of the eight Americans had dual nationality.
• Lucky Fiakpa, of The National Insurance Commission said “NAICOM wishes to assure members of the public that the aircraft in question was properly insured and all reinsurance contracts were duly entered into. Seven local underwriters were involved in the business…it believes no amount of money is sufficient to compensate for loss of dear ones…and all the same, will ensure that compensation as stated in the insurance contract between the airline and the underwriter was adequately paid to all beneficiaries of victims of the crash.”
• Fatalities include a northern elder and a retired federal permanent secretary under General Yakubu Gowon and Murtala Muhammed’s government, Alhaji Ibrahim Damcida; the spokesman of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Levi Ajuonuma; a director of Mainstreet Bank, Shehu Sa’ad; Ehimie Aikhomu, Professor Celestine Onwuliri, the husband of the minister of state for foreign affairs, Prof Viola Onwuliri and a family of seven.

The Kolkata based family of the co-pilot has been promised the remains of Mahendra Singh Rathore will be returned to them after identification through DNA testing which may take a week. He leaves a wife and seven year old son. The family is waiting in Bikaner for the remains.

The Dana Air website finally posted a release regarding the accident:

The Dana Air family is deeply saddened by the tragic loss of the passengers and crew of Flight 9J-992 of Sunday, June 3, 2012. The aircraft, with Registration Number 5N-RAM, departed Abuja for Lagos with 146 passengers onboard. 1 Dana Air Flight Engineer, 2 Pilots and 4 Cabin Crew were also aboard the flight.

We extend our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of the deceased, and we are doing everything we can to assist them in this extremely difficult time. A 24hr Call Centre service has been initiated and we have also set up an information center at MMA2 to look after their needs and keep them as quickly informed as possible.

An investigation into the cause of the accident got under way immediately, under the guidance of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), who are being assisted by investigators from the U.S. National Safety Transportation Board (NTSB). Dana Air is cooperating fully and assisting the investigation in every possible way.

In accordance with international protocol governing aviation accident investigations, all information about the investigation will come from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority. Dana Air will however provide information relating to the flight itself and updates on steps being taken.

Once again, we at Dana Air extend our profoundest condolences.

Jacky Hathiramani

Chief Executive Officer