Nigeria's Dana Air to resume operation after licence suspension lifted

Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - The management of Dana Air said Thursday it would soon announce the resumption of its flight operations, one day after the Nigeria government lifted the suspension of its operating licence following the 3 June crash of one of its planes that left at least 159 dead.

''We will send (a) release soon,'' was the reaction of the airline's Managing Director and Director of Flight Operations Jackie Hathiramani, when asked when the airline will resume operations.

The government announced the lifting of the suspension Wednesday in a statement issued by the Ministry of Aviation, saying the action follows government’s satisfaction with the air-worthiness of the airline after a rigorous technical, operational and financial audit of the airline.

''By this development, Dana Airline is free to resume its normal commercial flight operations. Government will however continue to strengthen its oversight and regulatory functions to ensure that all airlines operating in the country, including Dana, adhere strictly to safety procedures as required by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Act and all other relevant local and international regulations that ensure and promote sustainable air safety,'' it said.

The regulatory Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) announced the suspension of Dana Air's operating licence a day after the crash, saying the action was taken to ensure unhindered investigations into the crash, the worst in the country in two decades.

The ill-fated Dana MD-83 plane was just about three minutes to landing at the Murtala Mohammed Airport in the commercial city ofLagos, after about one-hour flight from the inland capital city of Abuja, when it crashed into a densely populated area, shortly after declaring an emergency.

A preliminary report of the accident by the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) said the crash was due to ''a total loss of power in both engines while on approach to Muhammed Murtala Airport (LOS), Lagos.''
-0- PANA SEG 6Sept2012