Latest: A Dana Air plane from Nigeria's capital city Abuja crashed in a residential area in theLagos metropolis, killing the 153 people on board and 40 others living inside a two-storybuilding hit by the aircraft, according to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
LAGOS - A passenger plane crashed into a densely populated part of Lagos, Nigeria'scommercial hub, on Sunday, killing all 147 people on board, the airline said.
President Goodluck Jonathan declared three days of national mourning and ordered aninvestigation into the cause of the crash which jolted residents of Lagos' Agege suburb wheremost live in tin-roofed buildings along unpaved streets.
The McDonnell Douglas MD-83, operated by privately owned domestic carrier Dana Air, wascoming into land on a flight from the capital Abuja when it hit the building, not far from Lagos'sMurtala Muhammed Airport, at 2:44 pm (1344 GMT) and burst into flames, according to theairline.
Among the dead was the spokesman for the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, LeviAjuonuma, according to a passenger list released by the airline. Ajuonuma was also de factospokesman for the oil minister in OPEC member Nigeria, Africa's biggest crude producer.
Dana Air said it was still investigating what caused the crash.
"Plunged into sorrow"
"We heard a huge explosion, and at first we thought it was a gas canister," said TimothyAkinyela, 50, a local newspaper reporter who was watching a soccer match on TV with friendsin a nearby bar.
"Then there were some more explosions afterwards and everyone ran out. It was terrifying.There was confusion and shouting," he said, showing a video he had taken on his phone.
Smoke billowed from the windows and roof of the building that had somehow survived beingcompletely demolished by the crash. Locals climbed on top of walls to try to look in. Bits of thetwisted metal were scattered on the muddy ground.
"The President joins all Nigerians in mourning all those who lost their lives in the plane crashwhich has sadly plunged the nation into ... sorrow," a statement from Jonathan's office said.
"President Jonathan assures air travellers in the country that every possible effort will be madeto ensure that the right lessons are learnt ... and that further measures will be put in place toboost aviation safety in the country."
Air crashes are not uncommon in Nigeria, Africa's second biggest economy, which has had apoor airliner safety record, although it has improved in the past few years.
Dana Air operates flights to cities around Nigeria out of Murtala Muhammed Airport.
Source: China Daily
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