A Cessna 172 aircraft operated by Skypower Express crash-landed Tuesday evening at Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri, Imo State, after declaring an emergency mid-flight.
The aircraft, bearing registration 5N-ASR, was en route from Kaduna International Airport to Port Harcourt International Airport when the crew requested an emergency diversion to Owerri.
The plane went down in the approach area of Runway 17 around 8 p.m., but fortunately, all four passengers and crew on board survived.
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) confirmed that there was no post-crash fire, and flight operations at the airport continued safely, with other aircraft taking off without disruption.
In a statement, Mrs. Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji, NSIB’s Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance, said:
“Efforts are ongoing to recover the distressed aircraft from the crash site for detailed examination.”
The NSIB has activated its emergency response protocols, while Director-General Captain Alex Badeh Jr. extended sympathy to the airline and welcomed the absence of casualties:
“We express our deepest sympathies to Skypower Express and are grateful that no lives were lost. Our team is coordinating with local authorities to secure the site and investigate the cause of the incident.”
Investigators are currently assessing the wreckage to determine what led to the emergency landing.
Airport officials confirmed that passenger and cargo operations resumed shortly after the incident, highlighting the resilience of emergency response procedures at Nigerian airports.
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