By Boye Oyeyemi
Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, on Wednesday visited the site of the Nigerian Air Force aircraft crash in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area, and ordered the continuation of search and recovery operations for the victims and the main wreckage.
Aiyedatiwa described the incident as a national tragedy, saying no survivor had been found as of the time of his visit.
The aircraft, which was on a special mission from Benin to Lagos, crashed in Igbokoda on Monday with about 25 people believed to have been on board.
The governor, who was accompanied by Nigerian Navy and Air Force personnel, divers, emergency officials and local residents involved in the search, said the scene was a “very gory sight”, with body parts, clothing and aircraft fragments recovered.
He said the main body of the aircraft was yet to be located, apparently because it had sunk deep into the swamp.
He directed the state Ministry of Works to deploy two amphibious machines to improve access to the difficult terrain and enable rescue teams to move larger boats closer to the crash site.
Aiyedatiwa said Navy personnel and local divers were searching deeper parts of the swamp for the cockpit, wreckage and possible bodies, adding that aviation fuel had also polluted the water following the crash.
The governor said residents who witnessed the incident reported that the aircraft appeared to be experiencing an engine problem as it approached the community.
He added that the pilot appeared to have manoeuvred the aircraft away from the populated area before it crashed about 200 metres from the community, thereby averting what could have been a greater disaster.
He commiserated with President Bola Tinubu, the Nigerian Air Force and the families of the deceased, describing the victims as young Nigerians who had dedicated themselves to defending the country.
He urged Nigerians to continue praying for the bereaved families.
The Commander, Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base, Igbokoda, Captain Andy Alemongwa, briefed the governor on the ongoing search operation.
Aiyedatiwa was accompanied by Deputy Governor Olayide Adelami, Secretary to the State Government Taiwo Fasoranti and other members of the state government.
