Nigerian Air Force (NAF) MI-171 helicopter, on a casualty evacuation mission, yesterday, crashed near Chukuba Village in Niger State.

Confirming the crash, NAF spokesman, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, said: “The aircraft had departed Zungeru Primary School en route Kaduna, but was later discovered to have crashed near Chukuba Village in Shiroro Local Council of Niger.

“Efforts are currently ongoing to rescue the crew and passengers on board, while preliminary investigations have commenced to determine the probable cause of the crash.”

Last month, NAF FT-7NI trainer jet had crashed in Makurdi, Benue State, while on a routine training exercise.

According to Gabkwet, then, the two pilots on board survived the crash after successfully ejecting from the aircraft.

Fatal plane crashes in military operations have continually raised concerns over safety of the airspace.

Aviation stakeholders had noted that though the development was a blight on the nation’s safety records, the sequence of occurrences raises a ‘red flag’ to warrant new precautionary measures to avert more disasters within the military operations.