Black Sunday: Families of the 153 passengers react to the manifest

The local wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos was not like every other day yesterday when members of the deceased families of the ill-fated Dana air plane which crashed in Lagos killing all 153 passengers on board arrived at the airport amid tears to confirm the death of their loved ones.
While waiting for Dana air to announce the manifest of those who boarded the plane, some angry family members and sympathisers had began threaten Dana airline officials for failing to announce the manifest on time. When the manifest was read, families cried uncontrollably as the security officials attempted to hold them back from venting their anger on Dana air officials or doing something strange to themselves.
Speaking to news men at the Airport,  Professor Peter Okebukola, immediate past Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, NUC, who may have. Died in the plane if he had travelled as earlier scheduled confirmed the death of four staff of the commission who were on board.
Okebukolar who obviously could not control his emotion referred  to incident as a national disaster.
According to him, “the plane that crashed was supposed to take me to Abuja before we heard the sad news. I am deeply sad. This is a national disaster. As I speak to you now I can confirm to you that NUC lost four staff in the plane crash. The names are Mr Mamud Dokawa, Architect Chinwe Obi, Mrs Shuaibu and professor Nwoleri,  past Vice Chancellor University of Technology, FUTO, Owerri and the leader of the NUC team.
Meanwhile, Special Adviser, Technical to Minister of Aviation, Mr. Victor Oche Elias, disclosed  that the pilot  declared 11 nautical miles to landing while declaring to the aviation authority the emergency situation. It was further disclosed that he was given priority, but the plane could not make it, as it crashed 4 nautical miles to landing.
It has been gathered that the Ill-fated  Dana Air, MC Donnell Douglas MD 83 was faulty even before it was sold to Dana Airline in 2009 by a US-based Alaska Airlines.
Meanwhile, it has been confirmed by the Aviation authority that the original owners of the plane has had several diversions as a result of mechanical or technical faults on different occasions before it was sold to Dana Airline.
In related news, official of Dana Air were advised earlier that the plane shouldn’t fly due to some faults noticed in it, but the Indian officials insisted it must fly. German officials had expressed surprise how the plane even made it to Lagos before crashing due to its write-off state.
Dana Air plane conveying passengers from Abuja to Lagos yesterday crashed into buildings around Iju- Agege area of Lagos state, killing all 153 passengers on board.
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