Missing plane: How flight recording was doctored

Shola adekola, Lagos - 14.05.2008

Fresh facts emerged on Tuesday that the recording of the communications between the pilot of the missing Beechcraft 1900D plane and the air traffic contol allegedly doctored by officials of Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA)may was made possible because of the time lapse between when the aircraft went missing and the time officials of the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) seized the tapes.

According to information gathered, officials of the AIB did not seize the tape until four days after the plane was declared missing, thus giving sufficient time for the tape to be tampered with.

A source at the AIB disclosed that at the time the agency took possession of the tape, a section of it had been tampered with.

But, the AIB could not not make this known because of the on- going investigation, which did not give room for any report on the matter as the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) had not closed its search and rescue.