Plane Crash: Suntai in dramatic, emergency departure from National Hospital .Governor still in coma, flown to Germany . AIB deploys investigators to crash site

The injured Taraba State Governor, Suntai Danbaba, was yesterday flown out of the country for further treatment in Germany.

Suntai, who was the pilot of his jet, Cessna 208, 5N-BMJ Jet that crashed in Yola, Adamawa State on Thursday evening, was brought to the National Hospital, Abuja on the advice of President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday.

The governor was conveyed to the hospital, and was bandaged from the head to the toe.

It had been anticipated that Suntai would be flown out of the country given the critical nature of his injuries.

His departure was confirmed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Hassan Mijinyawa, who said the governor was flown to Germany in an air ambulance for further medical attention at about 3.05 p.m. He spoke to newsmen in Jalingo yesterday.

But his departure was hurriedly done in what could be considered an emergency despite claims that his condition had stabilised.

The same State House ambulance with registration number SH 557 that brought the governor on Friday arrived at the National hospital with a heavily-armed police convoy and some Taraba State government officials yesterday at 10:57 a.m.

Some members of the National Assembly, who could not be immediately identified, were also on ground.

Our reporter spoke with two of their drivers who confirmed their presence although they refused to give the names of the legislators. Chief Medical Director of the Hospital, Prof. Shehu Bala, came to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), where the governor was being attended to, at exactly 12 p.m.

After a light refreshment among the officials, the whole environment was cordoned off from human and vehicular movements; thus raising concerns over the governor’s state of health. Suntai, who unofficial sources claimed was in coma, was driven out of the hospital at exactly 1.57 p.m. in a dramatic manner.

He was driven to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport to be airlifted to an undisclosed country as at press time.

An ambulance belonging to the National Hospital had made a decoy, pretending to be taking the governor out of the hospital and blowing siren endlessly. The ambulance was accompanied by police escorts.

Fifteen minutes later, the ambulance came in alone without the escorts.

Again, after about 10 minutes, another ambulance belonging to the hospital did the same, but without siren.

Unconfirmed reports said Suntai’s right hand had been completely dislocated.

In his entourage, when leaving the hospital, were other eight vehicles, some of which had the registration numbers Abuja CZ 724 RBC; Abuja CU 184 RSH; FG AD82 A01; NPF 45839, BMW and a Toyota Prado Jeep, BS 677 RSH. No one was allowed by the police officials to come near the ICU where the governor was to be stretchered out.

However, our reporter caught a glimpse of the reclining stretcher that was used to bring the governor being wheeled into the ICU. The governor, unofficial sources said, had not opened his eyes nor been able to move any part of his body since his arrival at the hospital. He had been on life support gadgets with oxygen mask since he arrived at the hospital, our reporter learnt. Effort to speak with the CMD of the hospital was futile, but the Public Relations Officer of the hospital, Mr Tayo Hastrupp, confirmed the departure of the governor. However, he said he did not know the country Suntai was being taken to.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Garba Umar, in a statement called on the people of the state to pray for the quick recovery of the governor and his three aides.

“We are grateful to God Almighty that in spite of the impact of the crash, Gov. Suntai and his three aides survived and are in a stable condition.

“I call on the good people of the state to pray for the speedy recovery of our dear governor and his affected aides,” he said.

The deputy governor also urged the people to be patriotic, law abiding and to live in peace and harmony with one another. “

While we thank God for his wonderful miracle, we remain committed to the protection of lives and property of our citizens.

We will, therefore, view with grave concern any attempt to breach the peace and security of our state,” he warned.

to a FAAN official, who spoke to our correspondent, the governor on arrival at the local airport was immediately taxied to an air ambulance at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport which took off at about 4 p.m.

Also yesterday, the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) said that it had deployed investigators from the agency to the scene.

Speaking on phone with our correspondents, the image maker of the agency, Mr. Tunji Oketunbi, said that AIB immediately deployed three investigators in the crash site to conduct checks on the crashed plane and cordon off the crash site to prevent violation of the site.

He said full investigation had already begun from the agency to unravel the cause of the crash.

He could not however confirm the present conditions of the victims, but said they would be important in the conduct of investigation by AIB.

He said, “Our people have gone there and are commencing full investigation into the cause of the accident. I don’t know the present condition of the victims, but we have deployed three investigators to the crash site to commence investigation into the probable cause of the crash.”

It will be recalled that Suntai and five other occupants of a Cessna 208 with the registration number 5NBJM aircraft were involved in a plane crash a few metres from the Yola Airport.

As at the time of the crash, Suntai was reportedly in command as he had graduated from the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria in 2010 with a pilot private licence from the college.

He immediately fell into coma after the crash.

Sources close to the governor confided in Sunday Mirror that he had acquired the crashed plane from the former House of Representatives member, Hon Ibn Na’ Allah, in 2010 shortly after graduating from the college.

Another source close to the governor confided in our correspondent that Suntai was issued with VSR certificate (visual flight) by the college in 2010 and wondered why he embarked on night flight, which he was not licensed to do.

An online statement signed by the Special Assistant to the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, Mr. Joe Obi, stated that the aircraft had departed Jalingo, Taraba State, for Yola on Thursday and reported contact with the Yola Control Tower (1720Z) and field in sight at 38 miles estimating landing at 1730Z.

The pilot subsequently lost contact with Yola Control Tower and subsequent effort to reach the aircraft failed.

Oduah stated that, “search and rescue was immediately activated and site of incident located with all victims alive with various degrees of injuries. The victims have been evacuated to the hospital for treatment pending further investigation of the incident