1994 Oriental Airlines crash
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | 19 September 1994 |
| Summary | Crash on landing due to fuel exhaustion |
| Site | Aguenar – Hadj Bey Akhamok Airport, Tamanrasset, Algeria |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | BAC One-Eleven |
| Operator | Oriental Airlines |
| Registration | 5N-IMO |
| Flight origin | Tunis, Tunisia |
| Stopover | Tamanrasset, Algeria |
| Destination | Lagos, Nigeria |
| Passengers | 32 |
| Crew | 7 |
| Fatalities | 5 |
| Survivors | 34 |
On 18 September 1994, an Oriental Airlines BAC One-Eleven (registration 5N-IMO) crashed attempting to land at Aguenar – Hadj Bey Akhamok Airport in Tamanrasset, Algeria. Two passengers and three crew members died. The charter flight between Tunis, Tunisia and Lagos, Nigeria had been arranged to return Nigerian football team Iwuanyanwu Nationale (now known as Heartland FC) to Nigeria after an away match against Esperance.[1][2][3][4]
Background
Aircraft and operator
The aircraft was a BAC One-Eleven, with registration number 5N-IMO and serial number 229, which had first flown in 1970.[5] The aircraft was operated by Oriental Airlines, owned by Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, then-owner of Iwuanyanwu Nationale.
Football
Iwuanyanwu Nationale qualified for the 1994 African Cup of Champions Clubs after winning the 1993 Nigerian Premier League. Entering in the first round of competition, they began strongly with a 6–1 defeat of Nigerien team Zumunta AC over two legs. In the second round, Iwuanyanwu Nationale advanced on away goals over RC Bafoussam from Cameroon after the teams finished 4–4 after two legs. Iwuanyanwu Nationale were drawn to face Tunisian champion Esperance, with the first leg scheduled for Tunis. The Tunisian champion prevailed 3–0.[6]
Flight and crash
The team were scheduled to return to Nigeria immediately after the match, however due to disputes with officials over fuel costs, the flight was delayed over three hours. With unfavourable weather conditions during the flight and dwindling fuel, the pilots proceeded to Tamanrasset in southern Algeria. Poor visibility forced the pilots to abort three landings.[7][8]
On the fourth landing attempt, the plane crashed into a pole and broke up. Speaking in 2014, Anthony Nwaigwe recalled that the aircraft had broken into three pieces. "We were lucky that when it crashed, the plane broke into three different pieces: the cockpit, the middle and the tail. The chair I was sitting on was turned upside down, my head was buried inside the chair but I managed to take out my seatbelt, luckily I stood up and I saw where the rays of the light was coming from. With that fear and panic, I headed towards that direction and I jumped from that side of the plane and down and started running away from the plane."[9]
Victims
Crew
- Chinedu Ogbonna (pilot)
- Chukwuwenyi Amaechi (pilot)
- Obiageli Ezeh (air steward)
Footballers
- Omalie Aimuanmwosari
- Uche Ikeogu
Notable survivors
References
- ^ Liadi, Tunde (30 October 2020). "Untold story of Iwuanyanwu Nationale 1994 Plane Crash". The Nation. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
- ^ Nwankpa Jr, Clement (25 May 2020). "As Dare moves to ensure labour of our heroes aren't in vain…". Blueprint. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
- ^ "Heartland FC Mark 25th Anniversary of Air Crash in Algeria". This Day. 19 September 2019. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
- ^ a b Okeleji, Oluwashina (19 September 2019). "Heartland mark 25 years since Algeria disaster". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
- ^ "ASN Aircraft accident BAC One-Eleven 515FB 5N-IMO Tamanrasset-Aguemar Airport (TMR)". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
- ^ Samuel, Babatunde (18 September 2019). "Heartland remember late heroes from 1994 Oriental Airlines crash". Goal.com. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
- ^ "Soccer Team Down in Algerian Crash". Newsday. 19 September 1994. p. 21. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
- ^ Obasi, Omeka (30 July 2021). "SPORTSFLAKES: BANJI OLA ESCAPED DEATH IN LIBERIA, ALGERIA". The Next Edition. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
- ^ Aiyejina, Tana (17 August 2019). "How I survived '94 Iwuanyanwu Nationale plane crash — Nwaigwe". Best Naira News. Archived from the original on 17 August 2019. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
- ^ Osuji, Sab (20 September 2020). "'Iwuanyanwu Nationale 1994 Plane Clash And Ikeogu, Omale's Death Still Hurt' --Two-Time Nigeria Pro League Top Scorer, Nwaigwe". Complete Sports. Retrieved 22 December 2021.