Ten die as cargo plane crash-lands at El Wak

Accra, June 03, GNA - The Ghana aviation industry on Saturday night suffered a major disaster with the crash of an Allied Air Boeing 727-200 cargo aircraft which overshot the runway and crash-landed close to the El Wak Stadium.

Though all four crew members on board the cargo aircraft are however safe and receiving treatment at the Airport Clinic, the aircraft also crashed and dragged a 207 Benz bus killing ten people who were in the bus.

Vice President John Dramani Mahama, who had arrived earlier in the evening from Brazil, assured the public that government was carefully assessing the situation and called for calm as investigations proceeded.

He commended the relevant agencies including the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) and other emergency teams for the prompt response to the disaster and urged them to inform government if they needed any external help.

He expressed government's condolences to the bereaved families and tasked the authorities to help identify the casualties from the crash saying “Government would ensure that the families of the victims provided with the necessary care.”

Vice President Mahama also called for the public to be patient and tolerant with the measures that have been put in place to deal with the matter especially the cordoning- off of the road from 37 towards Burma camp and Labadi.

“Kotoka is a safe airport, no such incident has happened in decades and there is no cause for alarm,” Mrs Owusu Fianko, Managing Director of the GACL, said adding that operations at the airport was normal with all flights operating on schedule.

Meanwhile an Emergency Operating Centre has been set up comprising the armed forces, GGCAA, GACL, NADMO, Ghana police and other emergency agencies.

Deputy Minister of transport, Madam Dzifa Attivor, who was also at the site, said the aircraft had been searched to ensure there were no explosives on board and has been secured.

She said the accident was an unfortunate situation for the entire society.

GNA