Spokesman of the agency Tunji Oketunmbi, denied yesterday that the engines had been taken to Brazil, adding that the investigation would determine whether it would be taken for further examination.
He said the engines may be moved to the United States or Canada after conclusion of investigations on its parameters in Nigeria.
Oketunbi said:” We are taking steps to advance the investigations into the crash. As at today, we have moved the aircraft engines to a hangar at the Lagos Airport. We are still examining the aircraft engines. The engines have not been flown abroad.”
Also yesterday, the Ondo State Government denied that it hired the ill-fated aircraft.
In a statement by Commissioner for Information Kayode Akinmade, the government said it had nothing to do with the hiring of the plane, contrary to the claim by the family of the late former Governor Olusegun Agagu.
The late governor’s remains were being conveyed to Akure from Lagos for burial when the plane crashed within a minute of take-off from the Lagos airport.
The Commissioner said the reaction would not have been necessary at the time the state and families were still mourning those who died in the crash, but for inaccurate media reports.
He said the government’s determination to give the former governor a befitting burial made it to set up a burial committee, which met regularly with the family.
At one of the meetings, the statement said, transportation of the body from Lagos to Akure was discussed.
“The committee deferred to the family’s insistence that the body be moved to Akure by air. The family thereafter introduced Mr. Tunji Okusanya (now deceased) of MIC Funeral as the official undertaker, who would make necessary arrangements regarding the movement of the body and the funeral.”
“Thereafter, the MIC boss forwarded the names of various airlines through an e-mail message to the Committee, namely, Aero Contractor; OAS Helicopters; Chachangi; Arik; Dana; and IRS as the airline operators that have been contacted.”
“It was indicated in his message that IRS was not available for conveying human remains; Dana aircraft had gone for maintenance; and Arik does not fly the Akure route. He, therefore, suggested Chachangi as ‘the best offer’.”
The Ondo government said it was neither the wish nor the prerogative of government to indicate any preference for a particular airline, stressing that the interface with MIC at the instance of the family, was necessary for facilitation of payment ,saying “at no time was Associated Airline mentioned.”
“This is definitely not the time for this as we are still mourning; it is pathetic losing any soul in the course of paying homage to our former governor, particularly government officials and other bread winners of their families, including the Managing Director of MIC, his son, and other workers of his company”.
The government thanked the Federal Government for ordering a thorough investigation into the crash to prevent the occurrence of such tragedies in the future, imploring the team of investigators to leave no stone unturned in the course of their investigation.
It also hailed the active and timely involvement of the Lagos State Government through its emergency agency as well as Federal emergency agencies and the management and staff of the Lagos State Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) and other medical facilities who came to the rescue of the survivors.
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