Guardian

RESUMED hearing at the coroner’s inquest into the June 3, 2012 Dana plane crash which killed 153 passengers on board and some residents of Iju-Ishaga area of Lagos State, Tuesday suffered another setback.

Reason: the Consultant Pathologist and the Chief Medical Examiner of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Professor John Obafunwa, who was expected to be cross-examined on his previous testimony, was absent.

The inquest was temporarily halted last August following a suit filed by a group, Civil Aviation Round Table against the proceedings at a Federal High Court, Lagos.

However, following the dismissal of the suit by the trial judge, Okon Abang for lacking in merit, the inquest was billed to resume yesterday.

Before the temporary disruption of the proceedings, Obafunwa gave testimony on the cause of death of the victims.

Apart from being cross-examined at yesterday’s anticipated resumption of proceedings, Obafunwa was billed to submit autopsy reports to the court.

Also expected for cross-examination was the Director of Flight Operations, Dana Airlines, Captain Oscar Wilson, who had also given evidence before the inquest.

But the Lagos State Coroner, Oyetade Komolafe, a magistrate was forced to adjourn further hearing in the inquest till January 18, 2013 to enable summons be served on witnesses and parties expected to testify in the matter.

Dana Air’s license, it will be recalled, was suspended after the crash but was restored shortly by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, leading to the resumption of the airliner’s full operations last weekend.