3 die, as air force helicopter crashes in Yola

Three days after a Nigerian air force helicopter crashed in Damare, Adamawa state, another military helicopter has crashed in Yola, killing all three crew members.

Eyewitnesses said the helicopter crashed at about 10pm on Thursday .

Reuters quoted a security source as saying that there were some casualties, but the defence ministry would have to confirm this via a statement.

Hey Ibrahim Ali, a resident of Hayin Kada village near Yola, described to Reuters the events leading to the crash.

“We saw the helicopter hovering,” he said.

“Then later, we heard the sound of the helicopter suddenly change. It started going down and then we heard a loud sound, followed by several explosions. So we started running into the bush.”

He said villagers went to the crash site on Friday morning and it was cordoned off by security officials.

In its confirmatory statement, the defence headquarters said the crash, involving a ground attack helicopter on an armed patrol crashed “at about 2200hours” on Thursday around the Federal University of Technology Yola, Adamawa state.

“The crew of three was lost in the ill-fated accident,” it said.

“Rescue party worked throughout the night to preserve the wreckage of the aircraft and scene of the accident for proper investigation to be carried out. Further details would be made known later.”