Chibok girls: UK spy plane breaks down en route Nigeria

A RAF spy plane sent by the United Kingdom (UK) to join the international hunt for schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram militants in Chibok, Borno State, has broken down on the way. 

 The Sentinel R1, according to The Telegraph, was forced to divert to Senegal with a “technical issue” and will be grounded until repairs have been completed. The unexpected delay is a repeat of last year’s embarrassment for the Ministry of Defence when a C-17 transporter sent to help French troops in Mali was also temporarily grounded by technical trouble. 

The modified executive business jet left RAF Waddington on Sunday and bound for its new base in Accra, Ghana, where it will be stationed while flying across northern Nigeria.

 However, the crew reported technical problems midway through the flight. A source, according to The Telegraph, said “we had a choice of turning around and coming home, or landing en route.” It was on Monday night unclear when the jet would be able to resume its flight and travel the remaining 1,300 miles to Accra.