Two years after the ill-fated MD-83 Dana Plane crash at Iju-Ishaga, a Lagos suburb that claimed over 153 lives, a coroner's inquest today, Tuesday revealed real cause of passagers death.
In a verdict delivered by Magistrate Oyetade Komolafe at the Ebute Meta Magistrates' Court, the coroner held that the AIB only submitted report of its preliminary investigation and was yet to conclude its findings with regards to the cause of the crash.
On the cause of death of victims, the coroner held that most of them died from multiple injuries, blunt force trauma, air plane crash and fire.
He noted that from picture evidence, some of the passengers were alive after the crash but died from smoke inhalation, adding that 12 people died from suspected carbon mono oxide poisoning.
Quoting Obafunwa's findings, the coroner said: "A few died from heart failure, asphyxia (absence of oxygen), severe burns injury, soot inhalation, and severe crano-cerebral injury.
"I find that the commonest factor associated with death was multiple injuries - fractured arms and legs, fractured ribs, punctured lungs, fractured skull, and so on.
"You cannot attribute death to one single injury. Each one can individually cause death."
Komolafe who at the end, made nine recommendations, urged governments (federal states and local governments) to put in place effective emergency response structures.
He recommended the establishment of a national body for logistics and supply; body retrievals; body handlers as well as periodic meetings and rehearsals among the units.
Komolafe also noted the need for establishment of Forensic Science laboratories in each geo-political zone as well as the enactment of a National Coroner's Act.
"Public sensitization and provision of fire service stations in every local government across the country must be considered," he said.
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