Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has ordered the continuation of search and recovery operations at the scene of the Nigerian Air Force aircraft crash in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of the state.
Aiyedatiwa gave the directive on Wednesday when he visited the crash site, where rescue teams were still searching for the main wreckage and possible victims of the accident.
The governor described the incident as a national tragedy, stating that no survivor had been found at the scene as of the time of his visit.
The aircraft, which was reportedly carrying Nigerian Air Force personnel on a special mission from Benin to Lagos, crashed in Igbokoda on Monday.
Aiyedatiwa said the number of people believed to have been aboard the aircraft was about 25, adding that the cause of the crash could only be established through investigation.
He was accompanied to the scene by personnel of the Nigerian Navy and Air Force, divers, officials of the National Emergency Management Agency and the Ondo State Emergency Management Agency, as well as local residents who had been involved in the search since the crash occurred.
The governor described the scene as a “very gory sight”, saying parts of bodies, clothing and jackets believed to belong to Air Force personnel, as well as pieces of the aircraft, had been recovered and preserved for investigation.
According to him, the main body of the aircraft had yet to be located because it was believed to have become submerged in the swamp.
Aiyedatiwa said the difficult terrain had hampered access to the crash site, prompting him to direct the state Ministry of Works to deploy two amphibious machines, popularly known as swamp boogies, to improve access through the waterways.
He said the equipment had enabled rescue teams to move larger boats closer to the site, while excavation was also being carried out in an effort to locate more parts of the aircraft and its main body.
The governor added that Nigerian Navy personnel and local divers were continuing to search deeper sections of the swamp for possible victims and the cockpit.
He attributed the difficulty of the search to the nature and depth of the swamp, which he said could have caused the aircraft to sink deeply into the mud.
Aiyedatiwa also disclosed that jet fuel was leaking into the surrounding water, resulting in aviation fuel pollution at the crash site.
The governor said the pilot appeared to have manoeuvred the aircraft away from the community before it crashed, thereby averting what could have been a more devastating incident.
According to him, residents who witnessed the crash reported that the aircraft appeared to be descending towards the community while producing a sound that suggested an engine problem.
He said the aircraft was eventually brought down about 200 metres away from the community and plunged into the swamp.
Aiyedatiwa said only the pilot could explain the circumstances surrounding the manoeuvre that took the aircraft away from the populated area.
The governor commiserated with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Armed Forces and the Nigerian Air Force over the loss of the personnel.
He also sympathised with the families of the victims, describing the deceased as young Nigerians who had committed themselves to defending the country and protecting its territorial integrity.
He urged Nigerians to continue praying for the bereaved families and the Nigerian Air Force, saying the loss was unexpected.
Meanwhile, the Commander of the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base, Igbokoda, Captain Andy Alemongwa, briefed the governor on developments in the ongoing search and recovery operation.