Nigerian govt withdraws licence of airliner after Sunday's crash

ABUJA: The Nigerian government has decided to withdraw the licence of the private domestic ADC airline a day after one of its aircraft crashed killing nearly 100 people in Abuja, the country's aviation minister, Babalola Borishade announced.

"The federal government has decided to suspend the operating licence of ADC airlines forthwith," Borishade said.

Announcing the ban, the minister emphasised the responsibility of the pilot of the Boeing 737 for the crash, for which he gave the final toll as 96 dead and nine survivors.

"The pilot refused to take advantage of weather advice and the opinion of the tower to exercise patience and allow the weather to clear for a safe take-off," he said.

He also announced that crash investigators from the US National Transportation and Safety Board, the Federal Aviation Administration, Boeing, and engine makers Pratt and Whitney would be arriving in the next 24 hours to help in the enquiry into the disaster.

Flight 053 from Abuja to Sokoto on ADC airlines was carrying 100 passengers and five crew members on a Beoing 737 when it went down on Sunday in bad weather.