The search for victims and the wreckage of the Nigerian Air Force aircraft that crashed in Igbokoda, Ondo State, is still ongoing, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has said.
Aiyedatiwa visited the crash site on Wednesday alongside personnel of the Nigerian Navy and Air Force, divers, officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and local residents involved in the recovery operation.
The military aircraft, which had 25 people on board, was reportedly on a special mission from Benin to Lagos when it crashed at about 11:00 a.m. on Monday.
Describing the scene as a “very gory sight,” the governor said parts of human remains, clothing belonging to Air Force personnel and pieces of the aircraft had been recovered and preserved for investigation.
He explained that the difficult terrain had slowed down the recovery operation, prompting the state government to deploy two amphibious machines, popularly known as swamp boogies, to improve access to the crash site.
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According to the governor, the main body of the aircraft has not yet been located, while Navy personnel and local divers continue searching deeper sections of the area for possible victims and the cockpit.
Aiyedatiwa also disclosed that aviation fuel was leaking into the water, causing pollution around the crash site.
He said residents had reported seeing the aircraft descending towards the community before the pilot appeared to manoeuvre it away from the populated area.
The governor expressed relief that the aircraft did not crash directly into the community, saying such an incident could have resulted in an even greater catastrophe.
The Commander of the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base, Igbokoda, Capt. Andy Alemongwa, also briefed the governor on the progress of the ongoing search and recovery efforts.
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