UPDATED: Air Force aircraft en route Niger crashes

A Nigerian Air Force MI-171 Helicopter on a casualty evacuation mission has crashed near Chukuba village in Niger State.

The crash occurred aroind 1.00pm on Monday, according to NAF spokesperson, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, in a statement on Monday.

 

Gabkwet said the aircraft departed Zungeru Primary School enroute Kaduna but was later discovered to have crashed near Chukuba village in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.

 

 

“Efforts are currently ongoing to rescue the crew and passengers on board the helicopter, while preliminary investigations have commenced to determine the probable cause of the crash,” he said

 

 

The crash is coming exactly a month after a NAF’s FT-N7NI trainer aircraft crashed in Makurdi, Benue State.

 

The two pilots onboard, however, survived the crash but are still receiving medical attention at an undisclosed hospital in Abuja.