The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, on Saturday suspended the operations of Associated Aviation Limited.

The Associated Aviation Limited is the owner of the chartered airplane ferrying the remains of former governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Agagu, along with 20 other passengers which crashed in Ikeja shortly after take-off.

The director-general of NCAA, Fola Akinkuotu, announced the suspension of the airline’s operations at a press briefing at the General Hospital, Ikeja.

Akinkuotu was at the hospital to see the survivors of the crash, who are undergoing treatment in the hospital.

“The operations of Associated Airlines have been suspended by the NCAA. Let me say for the purpose of clarity; all the operations of Associated Airlines have been suspended by the NCAA. I did not say any certification was cancelled but all the operations of the airline have been suspended,” he said.

Akinkuotu recalled that the ill-fated aircraft was certified airworthy before its last flight, adding that sustained airworthiness certification of an airplane was the responsibility of the airline itself.

He stressed that there was nothing contrary to the information provided by the airline on the state of the aircraft, adding that the company handling the airline’s insurance had provided documents about the state of its insurance.

The NCAA boss vowed the agency would continue to apply all regulatory rules on all airlines.