A Nigerian fighter jet taking part in military operations against al Qaeda-linked Islamic militants in Mali crashed in western Niger, killing its two crew, Niger and Nigerian officials said on Monday.
The incident marked the first casualties in Mali for Nigerian troops, which form the largest contingent in a West African regional force participating in the French-led campaign to drive Islamist rebels from the country’s desert north, reports Reuters.

Air Commodore Yusuf Anas, spokesman for the Nigerian Air Force, said the plane was an Alpha jet stationed in Niger as part of a Nigerian squadron supporting the mission in Mali.

“An investigation is going on to find out what happened. They were on a normal routine flight about 60 km (37 miles) west of Niamey when something happened,” Anas told Reuters.

Asked if there was any evidence of anti-aircraft fire, he said: “We don’t know but it was inside Nigerien territory.”
A Niger security source said the jet crashed near Dargol in the Tillabery region which borders Mali.
“The plane was not shot at. It was not in enemy territory so for now we are looking at maybe a mechanical problem,” another security official from Niger, who asked not to be identified, said.
http://flynaija.org/breaking-two-die-as-nigerian-air-force-jet-crashes-in-niger-republic/

Gallant Ex-Boys
May their souls RIP

RIP to the dead.

Shot down by Boko Haram?

Some nice publicity for the militants - when i'm sure the plane just ran out of fuel.

RIP soulja boys!

Crazy Nigeria!
Fight against the foreign islamic sect in Mali is even safer than the internal islamic sect in boko haram!

How old is the jet? Another relic from the civil war era?

Rip to those that died protecting their father's land, not like the other way round which I won't mention here yet.

RIP
But were the planes made n china?

Wen d funds for maaintenance n overhauling is beeing siphoned by the Ogas at the Top, this is one of the results

*mechanical fault*


Well,
#.. God rst their souls

What happened to the ejection seat?Or could they have been blown by anti aircraft missiles without warning?

It most probably wasn't working.

Nwa_Nimo: Shot down by Boko Haram?

Some nice publicity for the militants - when i'm sure the plane just ran out of fuel.

The plane didn't run out of fuel. Its suspected to have been shot down by BH. During the Baga offensive the security forces made some startling discovery that the BH animals were in possession of AA (anti aircraft) guns

Mgbadike80: How old is the jet? Another relic from the civil war era?

Those civil war relics as u call them were recently upgraded and up gunned by the air force and are in excellent conditions

Some people just have the tendency to say rubbish always. A "nigerian" fighter jet crashes and some simpletons have already started mentioning civil war era plane, no fuel etc...but just some days back a u.s military cargo plane pratically fell from the sky like a paper kite in afganistan, no stupid comments then o! Ignorancai!!

[color=#000000][/color]may their soul rest in peace.

Symphony007: Some people just have the tendency to say rubbish always. A "nigerian" fighter jet crashes and some simpletons have already started mentioning civil war era plane, no fuel etc...but just some days back a u.s military cargo plane pratically fell from the sky like a paper kite in afganistan, no stupid comments then o! Ignorancai!!

I tire ooh. People just like seeing only the negative in anything Nigerian

So sad. RIP fly boyz

I said it anytin dat involves islams must involve "death blood & rebell" shame on you. Religion of piss

Symphony007: Some people just have the tendency to say rubbish always. A "nigerian" fighter jet crashes and some simpletons have already started mentioning civil war era plane, no fuel etc...but just some days back a u.s military cargo plane pratically fell from the sky like a paper kite in afganistan, no stupid comments then o! Ignorancai!!

Of course the alpha fighter jets are as old as the civil war. So cos we said nothing about the american plan we shouldn't talk about ours? If we don't, "who will"?

[quote author=firetrap][/quote]

A psycho has been born. Nairaland, beware

R.I.P to the brave servicemen...


But truth be told, alpha jets are obsolete and we need to start using them as trainer jets...

we lack maintenance in our air transportation

RIP to the brave lads.

ShyM-X:
R.I.P to the brave servicemen...


But truth be told, alpha jets are obsolete and we need to start using them as trainer jets...

Yes the alpha jets are old, but it does not mean that they are not well maintained. If age determined how well military hardware should function then half the American naval and air force fleet would have been grounded or retired from service

Scarpon: we lack maintenance in our air transportation

Exactly we don't have a maintenance culture here which is what caused the accident

RIP to those soldiers and for all those who have paid the ultimate price for this country. It pains me deeply in my pericardium whenever I hear of plane crashes, but it is even more disheartening that this is rather a common occurrence in Nigeria, every time who foolishly push our young soldiers to die simply because they have dedicated themselves for complete service to the nation, why the h*ll is that old model jet still in use, no sector of this economy is even enjoying what could be tag a priority. The military/security has gulped in Billions of naira in the last two budgets but the barracks, their weapons, the jets, the boats are all decrepit and are screamingly in need of overhaul. where this young gentlemen in the army use in sustaining their morale I don't know, because everything I see around is so spirit-dampening. Those are not Boko Haram beast that just lost their lives, those are Air-force of the federal republic, their names should be made known and they should be given a befitting burial suited for national heroes. RIP to the fallen heroes!!!

firetrap:

Yes the alpha jets are old, but it does not mean that they are not well maintained. If age determined how well military hardware should function then half the American naval and air force fleet would have been grounded or retired from service

So old they don't even have ejector seats

firetrap:

Yes the alpha jets are old, but it does not mean that they are not well maintained. If age determined how well military hardware should function then half the American naval and air force fleet would have been grounded or retired from service

Oh really? I tot you should know that one of the basic reason for constant upgrades is to beat enemy tactics who would ve learned the working principles of the machines or softwares in question.

Symphony007: Some people just have the tendency to say rubbish always. A "nigerian" fighter jet crashes and some simpletons have already started mentioning civil war era plane, no fuel etc...but just some days back a u.s military cargo plane pratically fell from the sky like a paper kite in afganistan, no stupid comments then o! Ignorancai!!

I agree with you on that, but you would not deny the fact that crashes are too common in the nigerian airforce. This is another pointer to the fact that our maintenance culture is terribly bad; that's a jet that was refurbished not too long ago by a foreign company (MBB of Germany-I stand to be corrected though), meaning many of the components(avionics, hydrolics, engines and weapons systems and even the ejector seats) are supposed to be new.

What happened? WHy and How, When? could it have been avoided? was anyone respponsible? was it avoidable? has there been signs etc. Why didnt the pilots eject? have they been properly traained to use ejector seats, do the ejectors even work at all? We barely have survivors when our jets crash, yet these jets are supposed to be equiped with these life savers that work all around the world saving pilots.

These are questions that should be asked by both the military authorities and civilians alike.

Given the rate our jets and choppers crash all the time something drastic has to be done.

It's sad we lose brave ones to our own attitude of laclustre attitude to issues bordering on human life and national security.

I got loads of millitary friends and it's sad for them because they know they work will unreliable machines that are poorly maintained. You need to see them mourn lost comrades to feel their pain.

We need to change in this country abeg...we need to.

RIP to the dead.

may God help us... r.i.p to d dead

manmustwac: So old they don't even have ejector seats

Ejector seats were made an industry standard as early as the 60s so those jets do come with ejector seats. The jet in question was suspected to have been shot down by anti aircraft guns and not ground to air missiles. Anti aircraft artillery does not show up on radar like missiles do so dey may not have known that they were fire upon.