Plane Crash; Nigeria. 100 die.

[Saitek]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4517024.stm

[GeForce]

Wow. Very very sad news indeed.

[Hagar]

I note that a lot of schoolchildren were involved. Possibly going home for the holidays. Sadly this is a familiar story.

[Saitek]

I doubt they have proper maintanance standards as we would know them. Human beings never learn when money is the price to pay.

[Hagar]

From what I read this accident happened in adverse weather conditions. Maintenance standards do not come into it.

[Saitek]

Oh I hadn't read it since. That wasn't there when I last looked.

Asked whether this raised questions about air safety in Nigeria, he said: "Of course, people would be concerned, in view of the circumstances."

Correspondents say Nigeria's aviation industry has grown rapidly in recent years, but many aircraft are elderly and there have been several fatal crashes.

However, Sosoliso was regarded as one of the safer domestic Nigerian airlines.

[beaky]

The African continent is alledgedly notorious for poor maintenance, but yes, I heard reports of wind shear and lightning at the airport at the time of the accident. Too early to say what happened; let's hope the investigation is thorough... not that it will bring those kids back (very sad), but it may provide helpful info for future flights.

[Ivan]

People have the choice between 10+ hours on the back of a lorry (with the chance the driver falls asleep and the thing crashes) or 1-2 hours on a plane (with the chance that the thing crashes)

[bbstackerf]

Life is hard enough in these countries. So many innocent lives lost. So sad.


Keni

[beaky]

Here's an interesting development: let's hope President Obasanjo can put his money where his mouth is. Sounds like it's long overdue...and it sounds like reformers will have a hard time of it.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L13773414.htm

[Hagar]

Here's an interesting development: let's hope President Obasanjo can put his money where his mouth is. Sounds like it's long overdue...and it sounds like reformers will have a hard time of it.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L13773414.htm

Very interesting & if the President means what he says some good might come of this terrible accident. Don't expect this to happen overnight as it will cost a lot of money to put things right & there could be a lot of opposition. I don't know much about Nigeria & it's possibly one of the more enlightened African nations. Many of these countries are very poor & simply could not afford it. Some are run by unscrupulous dictators & bribery & corruption is accepted as the normal way of doing business. They will have to comply with international standards eventually if they wish their own airlines to be able to operate outside their own countries but this could take a very long time yet & there will always be some that can't possibly hope to do it. There will also be people making a very good living by taking advantage of them.

[Ijineda]

I lived in Nigeria 2 years and did take the plane twice for domestic fligths, one was the bellview 737 from lagos to abuja (crashed 7 weeks ago), the other a small turboprop from Lagos to Port Harcourt. In one word - terrible. NEVER EVER board a nigerian plane unless you dont care to die. maintanance is not available, there is NO service on board and the pilots look scary and drunk. some old 727 of nigerian airways sill had some wooden chairs until 2002.
So normal that so many accidents occur in this country. corruption and chaos are the main causes in this - despite this - wonderful country.

[beaky]

I lived in Nigeria 2 years and did take the plane twice for domestic fligths, one was the bellview 737 from lagos to abuja (crashed 7 weeks ago), the other a small turboprop from Lagos to Port Harcourt. In one word - terrible. NEVER EVER board a nigerian plane unless you dont care to die. maintanance is not available, there is NO service on board and the pilots look scary and drunk. some old 727 of nigerian airways sill had some wooden chairs until 2002.
So normal that so many accidents occur in this country. corruption and chaos are the main causes in this - despite this - wonderful country.

Not too surprising, and yes, it's unfortunate... I'd love to visit Africa someday (Nigeria's on my list), but maybe I'll take a ship...