Nigerian Military Finds Missing Air Force Crew Member Alive

Contrary to earlier reports, the Nigerian Defence Headquarters has announced that the engineer crew member of the crashed Nigerian Air Force Mi-35 helicopter earlier declared missing had been found alive.

This latest disclosure was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday, 23 July, 2014, by Maj-.Gen. Chris Olukolade, Director of Defence Information.

* Warrant Officer Augustine Nwanonenyi

According to the statement, the crew member, who was declared missing when his body could not be located in the vicinity of the crash scene, resurfaced at the military headquarters in Maiduguri, Borno State.

* Flight Lieutenant NM Halilu

“It is thus confirmed that Flt.- Lt. N.M. Halilu, Co-Pilot, and Warrant Officer Augustine Nwanonenyi, the aircraft technician, survived the crash.

“Flight Lieutenant Onyeka Nwakile was the only one lost in the crash and the family of the officer has been duly informed,’’ the statement read.

The statement also added that the two survivors of the helicopter mishap were in stable condition and receiving medical attention.

It stated that search and rescue operation on the incident had been concluded, but that investigation into the crash would continue.

* Maj-.Gen. Chris Olukolade

It would be recalled that the Nigerian Air Force Mi-35 helicopter on a training mission crashed South of Bama in Borno on Monday, 21 July, 2014.

After the tragic incident, the Nigerian army had said that the crash was caused by a technical fault.

Source: Legit.ng