News
Sad! 96 die in South Korea plane crash
A Jeju Air plane carrying 181 people from Bangkok to South Korea crashed on arrival Sunday, colliding with a barrier and bursting into flames, with only two survivors rescued so far and 96 confirmed dead.
A collision with birds and adverse weather conditions were cited by the authorities as likely causes of the crash that flung passengers out of the plane and left it “almost completely destroyed”, according to fire officials.
Video showed the Jeju Air plane landing on its belly without wheels at Muan International Airport, skidding off the runway as smoke streamed out from the engines, before crashing into a wall and exploding in flames.
“Passengers were ejected from the aircraft after it collided with the barrier, leaving little chance of survival,” a local fire official told families at a briefing, according to a statement released by the fire brigade.
“The plane is almost completely destroyed, and identifying the deceased is proving difficult. The process is taking time as we locate and recover the remains,” he was quoted as saying.
“So far, two people rescued — both are flight attendants — 96 dead,” the fire department said, revising an earlier statement that said one of the survivors was a passenger.
A photo showed the tail section of the plane — a Boeing 737-8AS according to Flight Radar — engulfed in flames on what appeared to be the side of the runway, with firefighters and emergency vehicles nearby.
“The cause of the accident is presumed to be a bird strike combined with adverse weather conditions. However, the exact cause will be announced following a joint investigation,” Lee Jeong-hyun, chief of Muan fire station, said during a briefing.
A response team officer at the local fire department, Lee Hyeon-ji said rescue authorities had evacuated passengers from the rear section of the jet.
The Muan International Airport is in Muan county, which is about 288 kilometres (179 miles) southwest of Seoul.
The fire agency said it had mobilised 32 fire engines and scores of fire fighters to the scene.
The accident took place at 9:03 am (0003 GMT) on Sunday during the landing of Jeju Air Flight 2216, the Ministry of Land said.
“A total of 175 passengers — including two Thai nationals — and six crew members were onboard,” it said.
The initial fire was extinguished and a search and rescue operation was “under way at the crash site”, it said in a statement at around 11:00 am local time.
Low-cost carrier Jeju Air apologised and vowed to do all it could to help.
“We at Jeju Air will do everything in our power in response to this accident. We sincerely apologise for causing concern,” the airline said in a statement posted on its social media channels.
– Engulfed in flames –
Acting President Choi Sang-mok called for the mobilisation of all resources to save the passengers.
“All related agencies… must mobilise all available resources to save the personnel,” he instructed officials in a statement.
Choi convened an emergency meeting with cabinet members to discuss rescue operations and response before heading to Muan, his office said.
“I believe no words of consolation would suffice for the bereaved families who have suffered this tragedy,” said Choi, who took office only on Friday.
“The entire government is working closely together to manage the aftermath of the accident, dedicating all available resources, while making every effort to ensure thorough support for the bereaved families,” he added.
It is the first fatal accident in the history of Jeju Air, one of South Korea’s largest low-cost carriers, which was set up in 2005.
On August 12, 2007, a Bombardier Q400 operated by Jeju Air carrying 74 passengers came off the runway due to strong winds at the southern Busan-Gimhae airport, resulting in a dozen injuries.
South Korea’s aviation industry has a solid track record for safety, experts say.
Last year, a passenger opened an emergency exit on an Asiana Airlines flight as it was preparing to land, with the aircraft landing safely but several people hospitalised.
A number of fatal aviation accidents have occurred globally due to bird strikes, which can cause a loss of power if the animals are sucked into the air intakes.
In 2009, a United States Airways Airbus A320 famously landed in New York’s Hudson River after bird strikes on both of its engines, in an incident widely known as the “Miracle on the Hudson” because there was no loss of life.
The Police Service Commission has endorsed the appointment of six Deputy Inspectors General of Police and the promotion of the Commissioner of Police Enugu State Command, Uzuegbu Kanayo to the next rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police.
The new Deputy Inspectors General of Police are Sadiq Idiris Abubakar, Commandant Police Academy , Wudil, Kano. He was former Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory; CP Peace keeping Operations and Coordinator, Police Special Forces; Benjamin Nebolisa Okolo, former AIG, Zone 16, Yenagoa and presently AIG Department of Information Communication Technology, Force Headquarters Abuja and Williams Adebowale, Commandant, Police Staff College Jos.
Others are Bzigu Yakubu Kwazi Bali, AIG FCID, Annex Enugu; Idegwu Basil Ukuoma, AIG Zone 14, Katsina and Adebola Ayinde Hamzat, AIG Zone 16 Yenagoa and former Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command. He was also a former CP Border Patrol, Force Headquarters, CP Crime Prevention and Community safety; Deputy Force Secretary and currently AIG in charge of NPF Counter Terrorism Unit, CTU, Force Headquarters Abuja.
CP Kanayo Uzuegbu Commissioner of Police Enugu State Command promoted to the next rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police was a former Assistant Commissioner Operations Zone 9, Umuahia; Area Commander, Owerri; Area Commander Karu, Nasarawa state; Commander Switch Operation Switch, Portharcourt; Deputy Commissioner Finance and Admin Edo State Command, DCP, state CID, Osun State and Commissioner of Police Operations, Communication, Force Headquarters, Abuja.
The Commission also approved the appointment of Commissioners of Police for Oyo and Enugu State Commands. CP Ademola Johnson, Principal Staff Officer to the Inspector General of Police was appointed CP Oyo State. He was also a former Deputy Commissioner of Police Delta State Command. CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa was appointed CP, Enugu State to take over from newly promoted AIG Kanayo Uzuegbu. CP Giwa was former DCP Operations Kaduna and Imo State Commands; ACP Police Mobile Force, Force Headquarters Abuja; and CSP A, Commissioner of Police Mobile Force, Force Headquarters among other postings in the Police Mobile Force.
The Commission also approved the promotion of eight Chief Superintendents of Police to the next rank of Assistant Commissioners of Police. They are Abdullahi Kamba Usman; Sani Abdu; Ifeanyi Owo; Vincent Orole; Elisha Atikinkpan and Margaret Okonkwo. Others are Alhasan Aliyu Guga and Imo Owinizi Ezekiel.
The newly promoted senior Police Officers were subjected to Written examinations and interactive oral interview.
The Chairman of the Commission, DIG Hashimu Argungu rtd mni, presided over the sessions with Justice Paul Adamu Galumje, Justice of the Supreme Court rtd and Honourable Commissioner representing the Judiciary in the Commission; DIG Taiwo Lakanu rtd fdc, Honourable Commissioner representing the Police and Chief Onyemuchi Nnamani, Secretary to the Commission in attendance.
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) will on May 28, arraign Mr Karl Toriola, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO) of MTN Nigeria Communications Plc.
Toriola, MTN Nigeria Communications Plc and others will be arraigned over alleged failure to produce documents and information required by the commission in compliance with a lawful summons contrary to the FCCPC Act.
The company and its CEO will be arraigned alongside Tobechukwu Okigbo, MTN’s Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer and Ikenna Ikeme, General Manager, Regulatory Affairs of MTN, before Justice H.J. Yilwa of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that FCCPC had, in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/354/2024, named MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, Toriola, Okigbo and Ikeme as 1st to 4th suspects respectively.
The suspects were preferred with two counts in the charge, dated July 19, 2024, and filed July 22, 2024 by a team of lawyers led by Akoji Achimugu.
When the matter was called, they were not in court.
Justice Yilwa asked the FCCP lawyer, Chizenum Nsitem, the whereabouts of the suspects.
Nsitem informed the court that though the matter was scheduled for the arraignment of the suspects, he was just briefed about the case and would need more time to study the case file.
The judge adjourned the matter until May 28 for arraignment.
NAN reports that the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) had earlier filed charge against MTN Nigeria Communications Ltd; its CEO, Toriola; MTN Senior Executive Officer, Nkeakam Abhulimen; Fun Mobile Ltd, a telecommunications service provider; and Yahaya Maibe, its CEO.
The NCC, in the three-count charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/111/2024 presently before Justice Inyang Ekwo of a sister court, filed it on March 20, 2024.
The prosecution alleged that the defendants, between 2010 and 2017, “offered for sale, sold and traded for business, infringed musical works of Maleke Moye, an artiste, without his consent and authorisation.”
The commission alleged that the defendants used Maleke’s musical works and sound recordings with subsisting copyright, known as “caller ring back tunes” without the authorisation of the artiste.
The musical works and sound recordings of the musician allegedly infringed upon include “911, Minimini-Wana Wana, Stop Racism, Ewole, 911 instrumental, Radio, Low Waist, and No Bother.”
They were also alleged to have illegally distributed the musical works to their subscribers, without authorisation, thereby infringing on the rights of the artiste.
In the third count, the suspects were alleged to have had in their possession, the musical works and sound recordings of the artiste, other than for their personal or domestic use.
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The copyright commission said the alleged offence is punishable under Section 20 (2) (a) (b) and (c) of the Copyright Act, Cap. C28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Justice Ekwo had, on Feb. 25, adjourned the matter until May 15 for report, following the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF)’s interest to take over the case.
…seek UK backing for constitutional reforms
By Gloria Ikibah
The Speaker House of Representatives, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas, has affirmed that the 10th Assembly will play a pivotal role in advancing gender inclusion and balance in Nigeria’s political and governance structures.
The Speaker who stated this on Monday in Abuja when he received a delegation of British parliamentarians eemphasised that the 10th House has prioritised gender parity and is actively working on constitutional amendments to entrench this goal.
Highlighting the House multiparty composition, he assured the visiting MPs that beyond political diversity, the 10th Assembly is strongly committed to promoting the rights and participation of women and youth in governance.
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