The Ondo State Government has deployed swamp buggies to help rescuers reach the submerged wreckage of a Nigerian Air Force aircraft that crashed in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area.
The state Commissioner for Health, Banji Ajaka, disclosed this on Tuesday while speaking with journalists at the crash site, saying the difficult swamp terrain had hampered efforts to reach the main body of the aircraft.
Ajaka said the aircraft crashed about 500 metres east of the Nigerian Naval base in Igbokoda after the pilots diverted it away from the community.
He said the pilots’ action helped prevent the aircraft from crashing directly into the populated area.
The recovery operation involves the Ondo State Government, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force personnel, emergency responders and local authorities.
Ajaka said conventional vehicles and speedboats could not effectively reach the wreckage because of the depth and condition of the swamp.
He said the swamp buggies were therefore deployed to navigate the difficult terrain and enable rescuers to reach the section where the aircraft had sunk.
Divers are also working at the site, with parts of the aircraft already recovered as efforts continue to reach the main wreckage.
The aircraft, an ATR-42 with tail number NAF 931, crashed on Monday, October 5, while on a routine mission from Benin City, Edo State, to Lagos.
The Nigerian Air Force immediately activated a search-and-rescue operation following the crash.
There was initially confusion over the number of people aboard the aircraft. Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo first reported that 25 passengers and seven crew members were on board, putting the total at 32.
The Nigerian Air Force subsequently reviewed the aircraft’s manifest and confirmed that 25 people were aboard — 20 passengers and five crew members.
The Air Force later confirmed that no survivors were found.
President Bola Tinubu has ordered a thorough investigation into the crash and expressed condolences to the families of those who died.
The President also declared three days of national mourning and directed that flags be flown at half-mast across the country in honour of the deceased Air Force personnel.
Tinubu said he had been briefed by the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, and directed the Air Force to establish the cause of the accident and take steps to prevent a recurrence.
The Nigerian Navy and Marine Police have also joined the recovery operation as authorities work to retrieve the wreckage from the swamp.
The crash site is located close to the naval base in Igbokoda, where the aircraft was found partially submerged.
The cause of the crash has not been established and is expected to form part of the investigation ordered by the President.
For now, the focus remains on the recovery operation and supporting the families of the victims as military and emergency teams continue work at the difficult terrain.
