Nigeria plane crash: Dana Air licencesuspended

Nigeria has suspended the licence of Dana Air, owner of
the plane that crashed on Sunday, killing all 153 people
on board and several others in a crowded Lagos suburb.
"We have suspended the entire Dana fleet. They will be
grounded for as long as it takes to carry out the
necessary investigations into whether they are airworthy,"
Harold Demuren, the head of the country's civil aviation
body said.
The MD-83 jet crash has prompted an outpouring of
national anger. The secondhand plane began losing
altitude over the congested Agege district seconds after
its US and Indian pilots sent an emergency signal to air
traffic controllers. Both engines had lost power when the
plane plunged into buildings a minute later, officials said.
Dana is considered one of the safest airlines in a
crowded domestic market, with tickets sometimes costing
double that of cheaper airlines. A fleet of five Dana
planes – one of which was grounded for maintenance –
had been operating up to nine shuttle flights daily.
Oscar Wilson, director of flight operations, said the plane
had no mechanical difficulties on a flight hours before it
crashed. "There was nothing wrong with the aircraft," he
said.
The US-made plane was 22 years old, despite a ban on
flying airlines older than 20 years in Nigeria. While not
considered old for airlines, maintenance in the industry
isn't always rigorous, an official told the Guardian. Dana
has had its licence suspended briefly once since it began
operating in 2008.
The Nigerian aviation minister, Stella Oduah, cried as she
told reporters an investigation would be launched into the
crash, which brings the number of air disasters in Nigeria
to 41 in 43 years. While the country's aviation safety
record has improved since a torrid year in 2005 saw nine
crashes, many remain sceptical about enforcement.
"We didn't need the minister to cry. As far as I can see
ministers are playing Russian roulette with people's lives
and we have no choice but to fly these planes. So what
we need to know is, could this have been avoided, as
with many other crashes in the past?" said Ifeoma Audu,
whose friend Adamu Bamaiyi, 34, was killed in the crash.
Periodic clean-ups of the industry have weeded out
airlines, including several high-profile cases after crashes.
But insiders say fuel contamination and poor
maintenance are rampant among some airlines.
At least six victims were recovered on the ground. In one
case, three siblings under 12 had been sent to run
errands. By the time they returned several minutes later,
the plane had ploughed into their home, killing their
parents.
More than 100 bodies have been pulled from the crash
scene, but emergency workers said heavy rainfall and
fears of weakened buildings hampered progress. DNA
testing would begin on several bodies burnt beyond
identification, a spokesperson said.