37 Air Accident Reports Still Pending, Says AIB Boss

The Commissioner of Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), Engr. Akin Olateru has disclosed that there were at least 37 accident reports pending at the bureau as at the time he resumed office in January, 2017.Engr Olateru added that the final report of the June 3, 2012 accident of Dana Air crash, which killed about 163 souls on-board and on ground at the Iju-Ishaga area of Lagos and three others would be submitted to the presidency for approval before being released to the public.Olateru made this known yesterday at a forum organised by the Aviation Round Table (ART) in Lagos.The AIB boss, however, assured that the reports of the four accidents would be made known by next week while a minimum of 10 accident reports would also be released to the public before the end of the year.He stressed that the era of keeping accident reports in the bureaus wardrobe was over with his management team.Apart from the Dana crash report, AIB would also send the crashes of the last two Bristow Helicopters and one AOS Helicopters to the presidency for approval.The first of the two Bristow Helicopters crashes occurred on August 13, 2015 at the Oworonshoki Area of the Third Mainland Bridge with six fatalities while six others sustained serious injuries. The second, which also crashed into the high sea was coming from an offshore platform, but without fatalities.Also, the AOS helicopters crash occurred on July 29, 2011 between Ife and Ogbomosho. The reports of the accident would be made public by next week.He said: Let me give you an example, I took over AIB on January 13, 2017, there were 37 pending accident investigation and the first question I asked was how many accidents do we have in a year that we have 37 pending accident investigation' Today, Im proud to tell you, four reports are on their way to the president including Dana, two Britstow and AOS Helicopters reports. And by next week, we will make them official reports.Before the end of this year, by the special grace of God, we will release a minimum of 10 reports. There must be a big paradigm shift in the way we do things.
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