LAGOS, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Owners of the ill-fated commercial plane that crashed in southwest Nigeria's Lagos State on Sunday killing all 153 persons on board, said on Tuesday that the airline company would do everything possible to assist families who lost dear ones in the air mishap.
In a statement made available to Xinhua, the airline regretted the accident and expressed deepest sympathies to the families and friends of the deceased, adding that a 24-hour call center service has been initiated alongside an information center set up at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos to look after their needs and keep them as quickly informed as possible.
"An investigation into the cause of the accident got underway immediately (after the air crash), under the guidance of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), who is being assisted by investigators from the U.S. National Safety Transportation Board (NTSB). Dana Air is cooperating fully and assisting the investigation in every possible way," the airline company added.
It said that in accordance with international protocol governing aviation accident investigations, all information about the investigation would come from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, while the company would assist by providing information relating to the flight itself and updates on steps being taken.
The aircraft, with registration number 5N-RAM, departed Nigeria's capital Abuja for Lagos on Sunday afternoon with 146 passengers on board, according to information provided by the airline.
The company added one of its engineers, two pilots and four cabin crew members were also aboard the flight, making a total of 153 persons the ill-fated plane transported until it crashed into a two-storey building in a densely populated part of Lagos.
A number of people on land, believed to be residents of the area, also perished in the mishap.
Special Report: Passenger plane crashes in Nigeria
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