ICAO, IATA to assist Nigeria in ensuring aviation safety

Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - In the wake of the 3 June plane crash that killed 159 people in Nigeria, two global aviation bodies have pledged to assist the country in its efforts to ensure the safety of air travel.

According to the local Guardian newspaper on Monday, the global regulatory body International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the umbrella International Air Transport Association (IATA) made the pledge in separate letters to President Goodluck Jonathan.

ICAO, in its letter, said its stands ready to assist Nigeria in any way ''as you investigate these accidents and have every confidence that you will personally implement any recommendations emanating from the investigations”.

For its part, IATA, the umbrella body for 240 airlines, said the regrettable accident must not be allowed to derail the reforms instituted in the industry since 2006.

“We at the IATA stand ready to support you and your government during this difficult period. While aviation remains the safest form of travel in the world, accidents unfortunately still do happen.

“Nigeria should be proud that the commitment of your government to the safety and security of your air transport system has resulted in an impressive overall safety record. While we can and must learn from these tragedies, it is important that we also not allow these exceptional events to lead us to lose perspective on the overall safety of the system,” it said.

Meanwhile, the paper also reported that the Nigerian government is considering a policy that could lead two or more airlines to merge, as part of measures to strengthen operations and enhance air safety of the nation’s airlines.

It said the plan follows indications that virtually all the carriers in the country are financially insolvent and heavily indebted to the tune of US$5billion.

The report cannot be independently verified.
-0- PANA SEG 2July2012