The Nigeria Police Force, Airport Command, Lagos, has confirmed an aviation incident involving a chartered aircraft at the Sam Mbakwe International Airport, Owerri, Imo State.
The incident occurred at about 6:58 p.m. on Tuesday, 16 December 2025, when the aircraft, with call sign ASR and registration number 5N-SKR, experienced a crash landing at the threshold of Runway 17.
The aircraft, a Cessna 172 (C-172), was en route from Kaduna to Owerri and sustained varying degrees of damage.
Police said there were four crew members on board at the time of the incident.
Following receipt of distress information, airport police patrol units, in collaboration with airport emergency response teams, were immediately deployed to the scene.
All occupants were successfully rescued.
Two of the crew members were reported to be in stable condition, while the remaining two, who were initially unconscious, were promptly evacuated to a hospital, where they are currently receiving medical attention.
Airport operations were not disrupted, as the situation was swiftly brought under control. The affected area remains under close monitoring to ensure continued safety and security.
Meanwhile, relevant aviation authorities have commenced technical assessments in line with standard operating procedures.
The Commissioner of Police, Airport Command, CP Olufunke Ogunbode, commended the professionalism and swift coordination of all responding agencies and reassured the public of the Command’s commitment to aviation safety, public security and effective emergency response across all airports.
