The Nigeria Air Force Alpha Jet that went missing on Wednesday night in Borno State might have crashed, NAF has said.
AIR Commodore Edward Gabkwet director of public relations and information, said this in a statement on Friday, explaining that the whereabouts of the jet and the two pilots aboard it, were still unknown.
“Intelligence report gathered by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) indicates that the Alpha Jet aircraft (NAF475) that went off the radar with 2 crew members on board on 31 March 2021 might have crashed,” Gabkwet said.
‘The cause of the crash as well as the whereabouts of the 2 pilots remain unknown. The pilots are Flight Lieutenant John Abolarinwa and Flight Lieutenant Ebiakpo Chapele.
“Extensive search and rescue efforts are still ongoing by NAF surveillance aircraft as well as NAF Special Forces and Nigerian Army troops on the ground.
“At this point, the NAF is not ruling out anything regarding the incident. It however remains hopeful that the crew would soon be found and rescued,” he added.
The missing jet was involved in the counter-insurgency operations in the northeast against Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province when it lost radar contact in the north-east state.
The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, arrived in Borno State on Thursday as search continues for Nigerian Air Force Alpha Jet that went missing on Wednesday evening after it lost contact with the radar.
The jet went missing while on interdiction mission in support of ground troops, Gabkwet announced in a statement on Thursday. “The mission was part of the ongoing counterinsurgency operations in the North East. The loss of radar contact occurred at about 5:08 pm on 31 March 2021,” he said.
Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, NAF spokesman, said in a statement Amao arrived Maiduguri Thursday morning as the search for the jet continued.
