Air crash: Funeral for NAF personnel begins in Abuja

The funeral of the seven Nigerian Air Force officers who died in the Sunday air crash has commenced at the National Cemetery, Lugbe, Airport Road, Abuja.

The men died in the Beechcraft King Air B350i which crashed a short distance from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, after reporting engine failure.

The deceased include the Captain, Fl Lt. Haruna Gadzama; Fl. Lt. Henry Piyo (Co-Pilot); Flying Officer Micheal Okpara (Airborne Tactical Observation System Specialist); Warrant Officer Bassey Etim (ATOS Specialist); Fl. Sgt. Olasunkanmi Olawunmi (ATOS Specialist); Sgt. Ugochukwu Oluka (ATOS Specialist) and Aircraftman Adewale Johnson (Onboard Technician).

At the funeral service is the Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Salihi Magashi (retd.), the Chief of Defence Staff, Maj. Gen Lucky Irabor, the Chief of Army Staff, Ibrahim Atahiru, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Isiaka Amao and the family members of the deceased.

The coffins draped in the Nigerian flags have already been placed on the open graves. Sitting on each coffin were the shoes and caps of the deceased.