Kenneth Ehigiator
1 November 2006
The family of the aircraft engineer aboard the crashed ADC flight 053, E. Usen, yesterday, stormed the domestic wing of the Murtala Mohammed Airport to retrieve his car parked at Kings Air wing of the airport.
Led by his widow, the family members of the late engineer arrived the airport around 3:00pm wearing long faces.
The late Engineer Usen often parked his car at that part of the airport whenever he was on flight, but his last ill-fated flight terminated at Tunga Madaki village, Abuja.
The ignition of the car, a red coloured Volkswagen Golf saloon car, with registration number LK 674 KJA took the technician quite some time to force open, as the late engineer had travelled with the car keys and crashed with it.
While the technician's work lasted, the late engineer's phone kept ringing without response each time it was tried by the widow, suggesting that it still could be at the crash site.
The family members were surrounded by staff of ADC Airlines who continued to console the widow particularly.
Efforts made to speak with the widow were rebuffed by other family members on the ground that she was not emotionally stable enough to speak.
After some 40 minutes, the technician succeeded in disconnecting the car ignition to start the car for onward movement home.
An ADC staff who supervised the retrieval of the car, but spoke on condition of anonymity, told Vanguard that the late Engineer Usen joined the airline just five months ago.
He described him as a hardworking young man who had in his short stint with the airline contributed immensely to its growth.
Meanwhile, criticisms yesterday trailed Aviation Minister, Prof. Babalola Borishade's conclusion that the pilot should be held responsible for the crash which claimed the lives of 96 persons.
President of the Joint Aviation Professionals Coalition (JAPCO), Mrs. Akerele, said the minister had by his pronouncement, judged the pilot when investigation into the crash was yet to be concluded.
According to her, the minister's action in indefinitely suspending the license of the airline was hasty, as investigation was still on.
She regretted the loss of jobs that might result from the minister's action, adding that the Accident Investigation and Prevention Bureau (AIPB) should be allowed to do its job.
Former Director of Operations of the defunct Nigeria Airways, Capt. Dele Ore, also noted that the Minister's suspension of ADC Airline's license was capable of making Nigeria a laughing stock in the eye of the world.
According to him, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and not the minister had the right to make such pronouncements.
He stressed the need for setting of minimum safety standards for airlines operating in the country.
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