A passenger plane crashed near an airport in Lagos, Nigeria, on Wednesday, killing 15 people, NBC News reported. The Nigeria National Emergency Management Agency said that the aircraft crashed after taking off for the city of Akure about 170 miles away. At least one passenger survived the crash, according to the agency. Airports Authority general manager Yakubu Dati told a news conference the Embraer 120 plane with 20 passengers on board, inclusive of crew, came down 9.32 a.m. local time (4:32 a.m. ET). "The plane couldn't lift properly so it just came down," Aviation Ministry spokesman Joe Obi told Reuters. Air crashes are relatively common in Nigeria, which despite having Africa's second-biggest economy has a poor safety record.
