Top Stories

Nigeria crashed aircraft was on rescue mission for kidnapped schoolchildren

February 22, 2021. Summarized by summa-bot.

Compression ratio: 70.8%. 1 min read.

People and rescuers gather at the site where a Nigerian air force plane crashed while approaching the Abuja airport runway, according to the aviation minister, in Abuja, Nigeria February 21, 2021. REUTERS/Afolabi Sotunde

Nigeria's airforce says its plane which crashed on Sunday shortly after take-off from Abuja airport -- killing everyone onboard -- was on a mission to rescue the Nigerian schoolchildren kidnapped last week.

Lagos, Nigeria (CNN)Nigeria's airforce has said its plane, which crashed shortly after take-off from Abuja airport on Sunday morning -- killing everyone on board -- was on a mission to rescue the schoolchildren kidnapped last week.

A spokesman told CNN the aircraft was on surveillance operations in Niger State as part of efforts to rescue at least 42 schoolchildren and staff members taken by gunmen from the Government Science School Kagara last Wednesday.

Air Vice-Marshal Ibikunle Daramola told CNN on Monday afternoon that the air force had donated the military plane to a joint task force coordinating the rescue operation in Kagara.

the crashed aircraft was part of the air force's contribution to the rescue mission," he added.

Daramola told CNN that the airforce would continue to support the rescue operation.

Suggestions

Latest

In this category