A helicopter belonging to the Nigerian Air Force, NAF, has crashed.
The plane took off from Kaduna on its way to Minna, the capital of Niger state, when the event occurred.
The NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, confirmed the incident in a statement on Monday, saying the aircraft left Zungeru Primary School en route to Kaduna but later crashed in a village in Niger’s Shiroro Local Government Area.
It partly read, “A Nigerian Air Force MI-171 Helicopter on a casualty evacuation mission crashed today, August 14, 2023, at about 1.1.00 pm Chukuba Village in Niger State.
“The aircraft had departed Zungeru Primary School en route Kaduna but was later discovered to have crashed near Chukuba Village in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.”
Gabkwet said that attempts are being made to save the pilots and passengers on board.
“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,” the statement added.
