By Giwa SHILE
The Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) has released its first international aircraft investigation report on an accident involving a Cavok Airlines aircraft at the Sao Tome International Airport, Sao Tome on July 29, 2017.
AIB Spokesman, Tunji Oketunbi, said that the final report of the incident was submitted to the Sao Tome’s aviation authorities by the bureau’s Commissioner, Mr Akin Olateru, on Wednesday.
“This was very significant as for the first time in the history of AIB accident investigation was handled by the bureau on behalf of another state or a regional body,” said the AIB spokesman.
Oketunbi said the report identified the presence of birds on the runway as the causal factor of the incident involving the Cavok Airlines CVK 7087 AN-74TK-100 aircraft registered UR-CKC.
He said the report also made nine safety recommendations which were addressed to the Institut National de l’Aviation Civile (INAC), Sao Tome, Ukraine Civil Aviation Authority and CAVOK AIR, LLC, Ukraine.
According to him, the report was a result of effective collaboration and cooperation with the aviation stakeholders and the endless work by the bureaus investigators.
”The Banjul Accord Group Accident Investigation Agency (BAGAIA) had invited AIB Nigeria to conduct an investigation into this crash, which by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Annexe 13, is the responsibility of the state of occurrence.
“The delegates visited the Nigerian Embassy and were received by the Charge d’affaires, Mrs Faith Ekwekwuo.
“She welcomed and appreciated the good job the bureau did to have helped investigate the air accident and release of the final report.
“She also commended the bureau for maintaining a good relationship with the Sao Tome authorities,” Oketunbi said in a statement.
Oketunbi said the AIB also executed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Instituto Nacional De Aviaco Civil (National Civil Aviation Authority of Sao Tome & Principe) of the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome.
He said the agreement was in four parts – cooperation, capacity building, exchange of information on accident investigation and assistance in cases of any air accident within both countries.
The AIB spokesman said this would further strengthen good relationship and effective collaboration towards achieving a common goal in the air accident investigation sector in Africa.
