Arik crew members get reward for averting air crash

It was a case of whatever is worth doing at all, is worth doing well, as Arik Aircrew members were rewarded by the management of Century Group, a multi-operational company for compliance to safety in their operations and safe-guarding of the lives of passengers on board during the averted air crash on October 28, 2018.

The crewmembers on the Arik Air Flight W374 that safely conveyed passengers from Port Harcourt to Lagos, despite the challenge of flying through the unusual turbulence that day, were recently presented with cash prize rewards respectively at the Century Group office, Lekki, Lagos.

The flight officer, Grant Onokah was rewarded with a cash prize of N1.5 million, while Ijeoma Onah; Senior Cabin Crew, Enejo Jacob, and Oluwafadekemi Afolabi all received N500, 000 each for their individual and collective efforts that ensured the safe landing of the embattled aircraft last October.

Group Executive Director, Century Group, Alaba Owoyemi, during the presentation said that the company was happy to identify with the recipients because they exhibited the spirit and character that Century brand represent in the execution of their mandate. “This good gesture will not end with Arik crew alone, we will ensure that organisations that give priority to safety in their operations would be recognised and rewarded as well,” he said.

Recounting the almost fatal experience, Ere, Ebikekeme, an executive of Century Group who was also on board during the Flight W3 745 mishap, said that the situation was near-death but the crewmembers were handy, especially in calming the situation and ensuring that passengers complied with safety rules.

He commended the Pilot who brought his knowledge and experience to bear in regaining control of the aircraft as well as the courage of the crewmembers. “The courage and courteousness exhibited by the crewmembers in the face of challenges attest to the importance of training and recruiting the right personnel and obviously Arik Air has over the years ranked top,” he said.

In the same vein, sharing his experience, Onokah, a flight officer, who was barley nine months on the job when the incident happened, noted that pilots were not super humans, but trained to put away fears and stay focused in the face of challenges such as turbulence and other bad weather conditions while flying.