…Delta deploys another aircraft to airlift passengers
An aviation authority in Nigeria Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) has taken possession of the A330-200 aircraft operated by Delta Air line which made an air return to Murtala Muhammed International Airport Nigeria after one its engines was gutted in fire mid air.
The airline said it has deplored aircraft from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to Lagos to airlift Nigerian passengers, whose flights were affected by the incident, to the United States.
According to the Commissioner, Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), Mr. Akin Olateru, this was done to get formal notifications from its operator, Delta Air, on the incident and to allow for thorough investigations in line with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) regulations.
Olateru made this know this afternoon while giving update to journalists on the incident that involved the aircraft A330-200 aircraft which had about 200 Nigerian passengers on board during the incident.
He said his agency has taken possession of the aircraft A330-200 aircraft having on board about 200 Nigerian passengers until it get formal notification from the Delta Air on the incident and to allow for thorough investigations in line with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) regulations,
According to the AIB boss, “When you have this kind of thing we take possession of the aircraft and nobody goes near it. The aircraft is under safety investigation. That is what is required by law but until they make a formal report, then we are expecting them. I was made to understand they have appointed two investigators to work with us and they should be arriving this afternoon. United States National Transport Safety Board (NTSB) notified us that Delta has appointed two investigators to join us and NTSB is nominating one person. Their representatives too will be joining to assist us on this investigation”.
Olateru who lamented the slow response to formal notification from Delta Air on the serious incident, claimed that the situation has prevented AIB from making a formal report to ICAO as statutorily required.
“Unfortunately, up until 3pm, this afternoon, Delta as an airline has refused to notify AIB in accordance with the law of our country. But they notified the US NTSB but they refused as at 3pm today, there is still no notification from Delta as to this serious incident. We have an obligation to notify ICAO on this serious incident but unfortunately, we cannot fulfill that obligation because we are still waiting for Delta to give us information as to this serious incident. This is a serious incident and by law we are investigating,”
He argued that since the incident occurred in Nigeria, the onus lies on Delta as the operator of the aircraft to follow due process apply to the situation and cooperate with AIB since Nigeria has not ceded the processes of investigation to USA.
“There is what they call country of occurrence and Nigeria is a country of occurrence of this incident. Yes, it is a US carrier, US operator, US registered aircraft, but there are certain state protocols which have to be respected; that gives right of investigation to the country of occurrence except the country of occurrence decides to cede that investigation to country of operator or any other country. But in this case, we are able, equipped to investigate this serious incident and we will investigate it but for the sake of clarity, am disappointed in Delta. It is one of the world’s biggest airlines in the world for not respecting our own nation and laws of the land.
“It is totally unacceptable, and we condemn it in its totality and I believe the way I see it we are being undermined; which is not acceptable. ICAO law governs all the activities of air transport business. They know that we must notify. Our websites are there; they can download the form, they can download the App. We wrote to Delta October last year notifying them that we have AIB App which they just need to download on their phone and send us notification. It is a very simple process. Nothing can be simpler than this, but unfortunately, as 3pm local time (14:00 UTC) today, they refused to notify the authorised agency by law of the land to investigate this kind of serious incident.
“We have a responsibility to report this kind of serious incident to ICAO. We cannot fulfill our own obligation because this incident occurrence has not been reported to us officially by the operator.
“I have been in contact with my counterpart in the US, Mr. Dennis Jones, MD of NTSB. He agreed with me and he will make sure that Delta does the needful. So, we are expecting. Delta Air Line has deplored another aircraft to airlift some of the passengers of the disrupted flight,” Olateru said.
Meanwhile Delta Air, in a statement said made available to African Business Travel News (ABTN) by its media consultants in Nigeria Top Com, said one of its aircraft from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport has arrived Lagos to airlift the Nigerian passengers to the United States.
“As at some minutes to 3pm Nigerian Time, today, Wednesday 14th February 2018, Delta Air Lines can confirm that a Delta aircraft arrived Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to airlift Nigerian passengers to the United States tonight, “ It stated.
The airline also said another aircraft would arrive Nigeria in the early hours of tomorrow to airlift the backlog of the passengers whose flight have been affected by the incident.
“The airline can also confirm that in the early hours of Thursday, 15th February 2018, another Delta Air Lines aircraft will arrive Lagos Airport to airlift more Nigerians to the US same day,” it concluded.
