US embassy cable - 05LAGOS1646

C O N F I D E N T I A L LAGOS 001646 
 
SIPDIS 
 
TRANSPORTATION FOR FAA 
DAKAR PLS PASS TO FAA REP ED JONES 
ROME PLS PASS TO TSA REP JOHN HALINSKI 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/23/2015 
TAGS: CASC, EAIR, NI, ASEC, PREL 
SUBJECT: SITREP #4: CRASH OF BELLVIEW FLIGHT B3-210; TIME: 
17:00 (LOCAL) 
 
REF: A. LAGOS 1645 
 
     B. LAGOS 1644 
     C. LAGOS 01643 
 
Classified By: Consul General Brian L. Browne for Reasons 1.4 (B & D) 
 
 1.  (U)  Mission,s consular response team (CRT) arrived at 
the crash site around 1545.  The site of the crash is north 
of Ota in Ogun State, near a hamlet named Lissa.  Coordinates 
of the crash site provided to us by the CRT are N06.48.52, 
and E003.18.17. 
 
2.  (U)  Members of the CRT report a substantial impact 
crater and significant debris.  Previous reports of large 
numbers of survivors appear premature and overly hopeful. 
Nigerian authorities are now saying that no survivors are 
likely. 
 
3.  (C)  CRT members described the crash scene as chaotic and 
disorganized.  Nigerian agencies and organizations at the 
crash site include the Nigerian Emergency Management Agency 
(NEMA), Nigerian Airspace Management Authority (NAMA), the 
Nigerian Red Cross, the Federal Aviation Authority (FAAN), 
and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). 
 
4.  (U)  Cellular phone coverage in the crash area is very 
poor and establishing a connection from the site to Lagos is 
extremely difficult.  The crash site is inaccessible by 
vehicle and is a 30-40 minute walk from the nearest road. 
 
5.  (C)  Members of the CRT have reported that suspected 
petty criminals and thugs are now coming to the site, 
probably to pilfer those items left intact after the crash. 
Given this lack of security around the site, the CRT will 
withdraw from this area before dark. 
 
6.  (U)  As of this moment, we have not been able to locate 
the known AMCIT nor his possessions.  The ACS Section is also 
actively reviewing the flight manifest for possible AMCITs. 
Due to the general imprecision of the flight manifesto (only 
surnames and initials of first names are provided), it is 
currently impossible to determine conclusively if other 
AMCITs were on board, but we cannot discount this possibility 
and will continue to do what we can to identify any other 
AMCITs. 
 
7.  (C)  A Lagos State Government insider told us President 
Obasanjo was at his Ota, Ogun State residence last night at 
the time of the crash. 
BROWNE