- As More than 30 are injured after turbulence hits Etihad Airways flight to Indonesia
Six secondary school pupils and two others from Kano State have died in an accident on Iroko Road via Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The accident was said to have occurred on Tuesday as 16 pupils and their teachers were returning to Kano after representing the state in a quiz competition in Lagos.
Seven of them were said to have died on the spot; one of the nine rescued and died few hours after arriving at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.
Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi has condoled with his Kano State counterpart, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
He described the incident, which also reportedly claimed the life of the driver, as depressing.
The governor visited the eight survivors at UCH’s Accident and Emergency ward, where he offered to pick their bills.
Ajimobi was received by the Chief Medical Director, Prof. Temitope Alonge and Kano State Commissioner for Health Kabir Ibrahim, who was said to have arrived in Oyo State with an aircraft to take the bodies to Kano.
Ajimobi, who was in a sombre mood, comforted the victims, wishing them speedy recovery.
The governor said: “This is most unfortunate and depressing to me and the people.
“My heartfelt sympathy goes to Governor Ganduje, parents, the families and other victims. May their gentle souls rest in peace.
“They are children and we all have children. So, we have to empathise with them. I want to use this opportunity to announce that we will settle the bills and take adequate care of the survivors.
“I have spoken with the Kano State governor. He is a friend and a brother because we are all Nigerians. I have assured him that the survivors will get the best medical attention here at the UCH.”
Ajimobi said he was confident that the UCH management will do everything possible to ensure that the survivors were back on their feet as soon as possible.
The CMD said six of the pupils and a teacher would require further examination and surgeries.
He added that two others were in critical condition and would be subjected to round-the-clock observation.
Kano State Deputy Governor Prof. Hafix Abubakar yesterday condoled with the families of six pupils of Karaye Unity School, Kano and Kano Kapital, who died in the accident.
A statement by the deputy governor, who is also the Commissioner for Education, said: “Governor Ganduje and the state Executive Council condole with the families.
“Three pupils of Unity School, Karaye and three from Kano Kapital School, as well as a driver and coordinator of the competition died in the accident.
“”May Allah grant the souls of the deceased Jannatul Firdausi and those injured speedy recovery.”
The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) said the accident was caused by speed violation.
FRSC head, media and strategy Bisi Kazeem said the accident occurred at about 25.5kilometres from Ojoo.
“An accident was reported at 10:50am at Ibadan-Oyo route, Motunde 25.5km from Ojoo.
“It was a lone accident involving a white Toyota Hummer bus with registration number KN76-A13.
“18 persons were involved, including four male adults, one adult female and 13 children.
“The accident was caused by burst tyre and speed violation. Nine people were injured– four adult males, four male children and the adult female.
“Eight children and the driver died. The injured were taken to the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, and the bodies handed over to the police, who took them to the General Hospital, Oyo.”
In the meantime, thirty-one passengers and crew were injured, nine seriously, after an Etihad Airways flight experienced “severe and unexpected turbulence” on its journey to Indonesia.
The Airbus A330-200, flying from the Emirati capital of Abu Dhabi, encountered the sudden turbulence 45 minutes prior to its arrival at Jakarta’s Soekarno Hatta international airport on Wednesday, the airline said.
“A total of 31 passengers and crew were injured. Twenty two have been released from the airport clinic after being treated by paramedics for minor injuries.
“Nine other passengers and a crew member were taken to a local hospital,” the Etihad statement said.
Haerul Anwar, a spokesman for the airport, described nine of the injuries as serious. He said officials from the airport and Indonesia’s national transportation safety committee were inspecting the plane.
Indonesian transportation ministry spokesman Hemi Pamuraharjo said at least eight Indonesian passengers and a foreign flight attendant were among the injured, with several suffering broken bones.
Flight EY474 landed safely at Soekarno Hatta, the Abu Dhabi-based airline said, adding that medical assistance teams met passengers as they disembarked.
Passengers onboard who spoke to Jakarta-based news website Okezone said oxygen masks tumbled out in the turbulence and passengers, including Muslim pilgrims returning from Saudi Arabia, were hurt.
Cabin storage areas were also damaged, the airline said.
The return flight to Abu Dhabi was cancelled, with Etihad saying it would provide support to passengers to rebook for different flights or find accommodation in Jakarta.
Nation with additional report from Guardian