BELLVIEW CRASH: WHERE ARE THE NIGERIANS!

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LAGOS 001726

SIPDIS

TRANSPORTATION FOR FAA
DAKAR PLS PASS TO FAA REP ED JONES
ROME PLS PASS TO TSA REP JOHN HALINSKI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/03/2015
TAGS: CASC EAIR NI ASEC PREL
SUBJECT: BELLVIEW CRASH: WHERE ARE THE NIGERIANS!

REF: LAGOS 1708 AND PREVIOUS


1. (C) Summary. The USG forensic team arrived at crash site
on November 3 at 1000 (local time). Recovery and
investigation efforts continue to be hampered by heavy rain
on November 1 and November 3, impeding excavation efforts as
muddy roads prevented access to the crash site. The crater
has filled 12 feet deep with water. On-site coordination
remains poor, and the USG forensic team had minimal police
support. Requests for hand tools, a security fence,
increased forensics support and police involvement have not
been met. Meanwhile, the National Transportation and Safety
Board (NTSB) team continued to interview Bellview
representatives, transport aircraft parts to the aircraft
hanger, and review Bellview flight crew records. The flight
data and cockpit voice recorders have yet to be found. End
Summary.

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Rain Hampers Site Access, Collection;
Crash Crater Filled With Water
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2. (C) Bad weather conditions are hindering excavation
efforts. The USG forensic team could not gain access to the
crash site on November 1-2 due to poor road conditions.
Their requests for manual hand tools such as shovels, sifting
screens, trowls, and sheaves have not been met by the GON.
Director of Accidents Investigation and Prevention Bureau
(AIPB) Angus Ozoka said AIPB would provide hand tools, and a
large water pump and power generator on November 4 to remove
water from the crater. Ozoka discounted suggestions for a
tarp to cover the crater. He said the water pump and power
generator should be sufficient to drain the water. Heavy
rain and excavation on October 31 have caused the crater to
expand to 80 feet north to south and 60 feet east to west,
making collection more difficult.

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Nigerian Support For USG Team Uncoordinated, Spotty
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3. (C) The forensic team found no security fence on November
3 and complained that local police were not providing
requested assistance. The team spent significant time
persuading local police to participate in forensic
collection. No Nigerian official is coordinating collection
efforts on site. The Navy, local police, the Red Cross, a
Bellview representative, one Ogun State secret serviceman,
and the Nigerian Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) were at
the scene, but are not acting in a coordinated manner. AIPB
Director Ozoka said they did not provide requested equipment
and human resources on November 3 because he believed bad
weather and muddy road conditions would prevent the USG team
from accessing the site.

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Refrigerated Trucks Fail To Appear
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4. (C) The Omega Funeral Home company, which was contracted
by the GON to send a daily refrigerated truck to the site to
store and transport body part remains, failed to arrive on
November 3. The forensic team collected 15 bags of body
parts but was forced to store these outdoors. AIPB Director
Ozoka said the funeral home company would be present on site
November 4 and that more police trained in forensics, as well
as the Ogun State Police Commissioner, would arrive to assist
the USG team. Site integrity continues to be compromised by
visits from relatives, villagers, and religious figures.

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NTSB Focuses on Interviews and Bellview Records
-------------- --


5. (C) NTSB Representative Dennis Jones interviewed the
Bellview Director of Flight Operations for over three hours
on November 2 and spoke on November 4 with Bellview's
Director of Human Resources to obtain flight crew employment
and background history. The NTSB team continued to interview
authorities, transport aircraft parts to the aircraft hangar,
and review Bellview records. They were increasingly
pessimistic that the flight data and cockpit voice recorders
would be found. The NTSB team stayed at the Federal Aviation
Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) headquarters on November 1-4 to
review documents, interview Bellview representatives, and
transport aircraft parts to the aircraft hangar.


6. (C) Comment. The USG assistance team is resisting
Nigerian efforts to transform the recovery and investigation
into a USG-led effort. Local villagers appeared ready to
cover the crater, build a memorial, and forget completely
about the crash. Bad weather conditions, the GON's slow
response in providing equipment and resources, and bad roads
have hindered excavation efforts. These conditions have set
the USG forensic team back several days. Staff in Lagos and
Abuja have made necessary contacts, and senior GON officials
have agreed to the necessary steps, but these steps clearly
have not been implemented. The GON must deploy more
consistent support for the recovery and investigation if this
effort is to be successful. End Comment.
HOWE