By Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has confirmed that two occupants of a Diamond training aircraft operated by the Aviation Training School, Ilorin, on Friday crash-landed, injuring two people.

According to NSIB, the injured have, since the accident, been hospitalised with the Bureau, adding that it has commenced an investigation into the accident.

Mrs. Bimbo Oladeji, the Director. of Public Affairs and Family Assistance of the Bureau, in a statement on Friday night, said the incident occurred at 17:28 during a simulated instrument approach on Runway 05 at Ilorin International Airport.

According to her, the aircraft veered off the runway and came to a stop on the grass verge.

According to the statement: “Two occupants were on board. Both sustained serious injuries and were swiftly evacuated to a medical facility, coordinated by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).”

She added that the NSIB Go-Team is preparing to depart from Abuja to Ilorin for on-site-investigation.

Commenting on the incident, the Director General of the NSIB, Capt. Alex Badeh Jr., said: “Our thoughts are with the injured, and we commend the swift medical and emergency response. Now, our focus is on understanding exactly what went wrong. Every investigation is an opportunity to improve safety. We are deploying our team to Ilorin to ensure that no detail is overlooked.”

It assured its commitment to ensuring a thorough, independent, and professional investigation that supports ongoing efforts to enhance aviation safety in Nigeria.

It also promised to provide further details as the investigation progresses.

Meanwhile, the NSIB has urged the public and media to avoid speculation and to await verified updates from the authorities.