Four Survive as Plane Somersaults in Owerri

A light aircraft crash-landed and flipped over at the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport in Owerri on Tuesday night, leaving four occupants hospitalized. The aircraft, a Cessna 172 operated by Skypower Express with registration marks 5N-ASR, was originally bound for Port Harcourt from Kaduna before a mid-air crisis forced the crew to make a desperate diversion to the Imo State capital.

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) confirmed that the crew declared an emergency while in flight, eventually leading to the incident where the plane somersaulted upon landing around 8:00 PM local time. Despite the violent nature of the crash, officials confirmed that all four people on board survived. Emergency response teams were activated immediately and arrived at the scene within minutes, ensuring there was no post-crash fire.

According to a statement from the NSIB’s Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance, Mrs. Bimbo Oladeji, the four survivors are currently receiving medical attention. Remarkably, the accident did not paralyze the airport’s activities; the runway remained active, and other aircraft were able to take off safely following the prompt response of the ground crew. Plans are currently underway to move the wreckage from the site to allow for a detailed technical evaluation.

Captain Alex Badeh Jr., the Director-General of the NSIB, has officially launched an investigation into the cause of the emergency. While expressing relief that no lives were lost, he noted that his team is already working with relevant aviation authorities to secure the crash site and gather data. As the aviation community waits for preliminary reports, the focus remains on the survivors’ recovery and the potential mechanical or environmental factors that triggered the mid-air distress call.