Reflecting on the 12th anniversary of the disastrous Dana Flight 123 crash, Isaac Fayose, the younger brother of former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose, shared a poignant account of his narrow escape. In an emotional Instagram post, Fayose disclosed that he was a survivor of the tragic flight that took the lives of all 153 passengers and crew members on June 3, 2012.
Having missed the 2 pm flight due to unforeseen circumstances, Fayose expressed his gratitude for being granted a second lease on life. He paid tribute to the victims, which included his uncle and friends.
Recalling the events, Fayose wrote, “Exactly 12 years ago on this day, I missed the 2 pm ill-fated Dana flight 123 to Lagos, despite buying a ticket. It was a series of unexpected events that led to me missing the flight.
“I am no more deserving than those who lost their lives, and this experience has deeply humbled me as a testament to God’s grace. While I mourn the friends I lost on that flight, including my uncle, life goes on.
“No one is exempt from the fragility of life; it is a precious gift to be cherished every moment because it can be fleeting. Let us embrace kindness whenever possible as we may not always have the chance to do so again.
“May the souls of all those lost in that tragic flight continue to find eternal peace.”
June 3, 2012, marked the horrific accident of Dana Air Flight 0992, a domestic passenger flight route from Abuja to Lagos, Nigeria.
The McDonnell Douglas MD-83 aircraft encountered a catastrophic dual-engine failure while approaching Lagos, culminating in a devastating crash into nearby structures.
Regrettably, the crash claimed the lives of all 153 passengers and crew members aboard, along with six individuals on the ground. This tragedy remains the deadliest commercial airplane disaster in Nigerian history, surpassing the Kano air disaster of 1973, with a total of 159 fatalities.