The Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo SAN on Friday sent a high-powered delegation to the Lagos office of the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) to commiserate with the association over the death of Capt Yakubu Dukas.
The three-man delegation led by Engr Pius Chukwu also had Asapuro Namasado and Abubakar Sadile, all from the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development.
Presenting a letter from the Minister, team lead, Chukwu said that, the Minister is deeply saddened to learn about the death of Late Dukas who was a seasoned helicopter pilot and also the Vice President of NAAPE.
In the letter with reference number FMA/PMD/106/S.19/T/66, the Minister noted: “We are deeply saddened to learn about the tragic demise of Comrade Capt Yakubu Dukas, Vice President of NAAPE and a valued member of your esteemed organization who was a pilot in the ill-fated helicopter that crashed on 24th October at the offshore of Port Harcourt, Rivers State”.
“On behalf of the Honourable Minister of Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace and members of his management staff, we extend our heartfelt condolences to the NAAPE, the family of the deceased and the entire aviation community. This is a devastating blow to all who worked with them”, the Minister added.
In his response, President of the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers, Comrade Galadima Abednego thanked the Minister, disclosing that Keyamo had demonstrated and extended empathy consistently to the association and to the aviation industry.
Comrade Galadima who discribed Dukas death as a collosal loss said “We miss him but this token of visit from the Minister has given us some level of comfort, we being part of his immediate constituency”.
Commending the Minister who he said had done well, Galadima demanded that NAAPE be given participatory right as observer in the ongoing official investigation into the cause of this unfortunate occurrence.
He equally commended the search and rescue efforts by the relevant organizations thus far but called on the government for investment in critical infrastructure for search and rescue in the country in order to optimize their performance with the view to mitigate loss of lives and properties in the event of an accident or emergency.
