A Nigerian Air Force helicopter crashed shortly after takeoff in the southern oil hub of Port Harcourt on Friday but all five crew members survived with only minor injuries, a spokesperson said.
The incident occurred at about 0645 GMT shortly after the MI-35P helicopter took off for an operation in the oil-rich Rivers State, a region rife with rampant oil theft, Air Force spokesperson Edward Gabkwet said in a statement.
The crew members are being treated at an Air Force medical centre in Port Harcourt, he said.
“The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, is currently en route to Port Harcourt to access the situation for himself, see to the wellbeing of the crew, and give further directives," Gabkwet said.
He added: “Incidents of this nature are yet again a grim reminder of the dangers associated with military flying and the risks NAF pilots and technicians experience in their onerous tasks of defending our nation and deterring criminal elements from their nefarious activities.”
