News
SAD! 62 Bodies Recovered From Brazil Plane Crash Site
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Brazilian authorities successfully completed the recovery of all 62 bodies from the plane that tragically crashed on Friday
Investigators has began examining the aircraft’s black boxes to uncover the cause of the disaster.
Videos captured the ATR 72-500 aircraft in a terrifying downward spiral before it crashed into a residential area in Vinhedo, located about 80 kilometers (50 miles) northwest of São Paulo, Brazil’s financial hub.
Operated by the airline Voepass, the plane descended almost vertically, landing on its belly and bursting into flames with such force that it was nearly “flattened,” according to São Paulo fire lieutenant, Olivia Perroni Cazo.
“All 62 bodies (34 male and 28 female) have been recovered and transported to the morgue in São Paulo for identification and return to their families,” the regional government reported on Saturday evening.
Two victims have already been identified through fingerprint analysis, including the pilot and co-pilot, said Vinhedo Mayor Dario Pacheco.
The twin-engine turboprop, manufactured by aviation firm ATR, was on a flight from Cascavel in southern Paraná state to São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport.
Experts from Brazil’s Aeronautical Accidents Investigation and Prevention Center (CENIPA) have begun analyzing the black boxes recovered from the wreckage, which contain cabin conversations and in-flight data, said CENIPA chief Marcelo Moreno.
A preliminary report is expected within 30 days, according to the Brazilian Air Force.
Flight Radar 24 data indicated that the plane had been flying for about an hour at an altitude of 17,000 feet (5,180 meters) before it began losing altitude rapidly at 1:21 p.m. local time (1621 GMT). Radar contact was lost just a minute later at 1:22 p.m.
The air force noted that the crew did not declare an emergency, and weather conditions were not reported as a factor.
ATR, the aircraft’s manufacturer, which is a joint venture between Airbus and Italy’s Leonardo, stated that their experts would assist with the investigation.
The plane, which had been in service since 2010, met all current standards, and the four crew members were fully certified, according to Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency.
Voepass’s operations director, Marcel Moura, confirmed that the aircraft underwent routine maintenance the night before the accident and no technical issues were found.
However, some experts speculated that icing on the wings might have contributed to the crash. Moura noted that while the plane operated at an altitude where it could be more sensitive to icing, the conditions on Friday were “within acceptable parameters for a flight.”
The crash left the plane’s fuselage a charred, twisted heap of metal. Despite the devastation, there were no casualties on the ground.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva declared three days of national mourning in response to the tragedy, one of the worst aviation accidents in the country’s history.
“It was horrible, horrible… such a sad tragedy,” said Lourdes da Silva Astolfo, 67, who lives just meters from the crash site.
According to AFP, she described feeling a “rumbling, almost like a tremor,” before seeing the plane nearly overhead.
Seconds later, it crashed, followed by stunned screams from neighbors as thick smoke billowed into the air.
The normally quiet, wooded neighborhood where the crash occurred saw a heavy presence of police, ambulances, and fire trucks on Saturday.
Voepass confirmed that all victims were traveling on Brazilian identity documents, including a dual citizen from Portugal and a family of three Venezuelans.
This incident marks Brazil’s most devastating air disaster in 17 years.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has began airlifting the sensitive election materials for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to Benin, Edo State, ahead of the upcoming governorship election scheduled for September 21, 2024.
This was disclosed on Wednesday by the Deputy Director, Public Relations and Information, Group Captain Kabiru Ali.
The operation is part of the NAF’s efforts to ensure the timely and secure delivery of materials necessary for a smooth electoral process.
This development reinforces the collaboration between NAF and INEC to facilitate logistics and ensure a peaceful election in Edo State.
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, had previously reiterated NAF’s commitment to providing airlift support for the swift movement of electoral materials during a meeting with INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu.
This airlift operation is a crucial aspect of NAF’s constitutional responsibility to provide Military Aid to Civil Authority, underscoring the force’s dedication to supporting democratic processes in Nigeria. With the election just days away, the NAF’s timely intervention will help ensure the successful conduct of the governorship elections in Edo State.
Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State had earlier accused the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, of working with the All Progressives Congress (APC) to hunt the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members and supporters in the state and force them into hiding ahead of September 21 governorship election.
Obaseki, who made the allegation when a delegation led by the former Head of State, Abdusalam Abubakar, met with him to get the governor and his party to sign peace accord, said that the IGP had made nonsense of his (Obaseki’s) role as the chief security officer of the state.
The governor had said that the police chief obtained a warrant to arrest 60 members and supporters of PDP in Edo and that the IGP sent an armed “gang” of policemen who invaded the state, attacked PDP members, shot at a local government chairman and arrested 10 persons who are currently being detained in Abuja without charges.
Asked by the former head of state if his party would sign the peace accord, Obaseki said, “The person who is supposed to enforce the peace accord is now an active participant in creating a destructive environment.
“We are now in a situation where from the Inspector General’s office, there are armed gang policemen who came into Edo State, invaded, arrested and took away PDP members.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, has given reasons why he loves dancing.
The ‘Dancing Governor’, as he is fondly called, revealed this on Wednesday while responding to a tweet on X.
An X user, @Iwogoke, while praising the governor, stated that Adeleke has been busy fulfilling his electoral promises to the people of Osun State, while his political opponents believe he is only good at dancing.
Iwogoke tweeted, “I’m not flattering you, Your Excellency, your opponents think you can only dance but while they are busy shouting and calling you ‘Dancing Governor’, you are busy fulfilling your electoral promises to the people.”
Responding to the tweet via his verified X account, Adeleke explained that he loves dancing because it brings him joy.
Speaking further on his love for dancing, Adeleke highlighted that while dancing brings him immense happiness, his greater fulfilment comes from delivering the dividends of democracy to the people of Osun.
Outlining his administration’s efforts to enhance the state’s infrastructure, he noted that primary health centre rehabilitation is underway in at least 200 out of the 332 wards across Osun State, adding that road construction projects are also progressing in every local government area.
He wrote, “Dancing gives me joy, but delivering on my electoral promises and providing the dividends of democracy to the good people of Osun gives me even greater joy. Rehabilitation of primary health centers is ongoing in at least 200 out of 332 wards, and road construction is progressing in every Local Government!”
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