Plane Carrying Ex Governor Agagu's Corpse And 20 Passengers Crashed In Lagos.

 

An aircraft with the body of a former Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Agagu, on board, crashed in Lagos on Thursday morning less than a minute after take-off from the local wing of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja.

The EMBRA plane 120, with other 20 passengers on board, was conveying the body of the former governor, who died a week ago, to Akure, the state capital, for the final burial ceremonies.

Crash photos below...

The 30-seat plane, belonging to Associated Airlines, was said to have crashed around 9.20am immediately after take-off into the compound of a private firm, around the MMIA access gate.

The politician died suddenly at his home in Lagos on 13 September. He was due to be laid to rest on 4 October at St Paul's Anglican Church in the district of Iju-Odo.

According to witnesses, the crash happened on the runway used for domestic flights at the airport, close to a section where plane fuel is stored.

Fire service officials were seen evacuating the occupants of the plane. At least five passengers have been confirmed dead.

"The plane couldn't lift properly so it just came down,"Aviation Ministry spokesman Joe Obi told Reuters. "Some persons are being rushed to hospital. A few dead bodies have been recovered, but there are survivors."

Murtala Muhammed Airport was previously the scene of tragedy in June 2012, when 163 people were killed after Dana Air Flight 992 crashed into a furniture works and printing press building.