Air Force Chief Rules Out Sabotage on the missing Jet

Chief of air staff Air Marshall Adesola Amosun yesterday said that the Nigerian Air Force had an idea of where the missing Alpha Jet (NAF 466) could be, despite that information coming from residents of the area was insufficient to locate the aircraft.

Speaking to journalists after meeting with Vice President Namadi Sambo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Amosun noted that while the force had deployed its surveillance capability in search of the plane, there was hope that the missing military aircraft would be located before the end of the day or week.

Some Nigerians had been suggesting that the jet which got missing in Adamawa on Friday during a counter-insurgency operation might have been brought down by the insurgents.

But the air force chief ruled out sabotage in the disappearance of the jet, assuring that the force was in full control of the country’s airspace.

“Sabotage? No, because it is a short distance from Maiduguri to Yola. We are in full control of the airspace. But don’t forget that when you lose radio signal it becomes very challenging. There are so many possibilities but we are working on it.”

Noting that the information coming from residents of the area was not sufficient to immediately locate the aircraft, Amosun said, “You know, in the aviation sector, we have some specific information that we ought to have to make the search easy.

“Though, the information we are getting from the citizens is good, it is not sufficient for us to define the area of search.

“But we have an idea of where the aircraft could be. Do not forget that it is the open Sahel. Some people may think it is easy but, in the open Sahel, sometimes it is even very challenging.

“Human beings standing may look like trees and, again, the area we are talking about, we have operations going on there and we have limitations as to how low we come to conduct the search. But one thing is clear: whatever problem they had, an ejection was contemplated. It is therefore my hope that the pilots are still alive.”

He also blamed poor weather on the delay to locate the missing plane.

Source: Leadership