One dies as fighter jet crashes in Kano

A Nigerian Air Force fighter jet on Tuesday crashed while taking off from a flight school near the Mallam Aminu International Airport in Kano, killing its pilot. The plane, one of several Chinese F7 jets purchased by the Nigerian government, failed to lift off from the runway the military flight school shares with the airport around 12.30pm, witnesses said. The plane crashed while still on the airport‘s ground and immediately exploded, The Associated Press reports. The spokesman of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Yusuf Anas, confirmed the development in a statement. Anas said the plane recently had been brought from an air base in Makurdi. ”The Nigerian Air Force headquarters has already set up an accident investigation panel to unravel the circumstances that led to the accident. Further details on the crash will be made known as soon as the family of the deceased pilot is informed,” Anas said in the statement. Airport officials postponed some afternoon flights out of Kano, as workers struggled to put out the fire and clear debris. In 2002, a commercial airliner crashed during takeoff from the airport, destroying homes, mosques and a school and killing 145 people. In 1992, a military plane carrying 163 people crashed just after taking off from Lagos. Last week, fire engulfed a bushy area by the airport‘s tarmac, killing one fire fighter and injuring three others. A fire-fighting vehicle was also destroyed in the inferno. By Agency Reporter