Ondo Police await heavy equipment to recover crashed NAF aircraft

By Dayo Johnson, Akure

The Ondo State Police Command says it is awaiting heavy-duty equipment to aid the recovery of the Nigerian Air Force aircraft that crashed in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area, on Monday.

The state Commissioner of Police, Felix Ohagwu, disclosed this after visiting the crash site, noting that the swampy terrain had made recovery efforts difficult.

Ohagwu said the crash site was surrounded by creeks and mangroves, adding that he had to use a canoe to access the location.

He said some body parts and fragments of the aircraft had been recovered, while efforts to retrieve the wreckage were still ongoing.

“For now, the recovery of the wreckage is still in progress. I will not say much until after the conclusion of investigation by the relevant agencies,” he said.

The commissioner said the command was expecting bigger equipment capable of pulling the submerged aircraft from the swamp.

“We are still expecting a bigger machine to be able to pull the wreckage from the water. We have to pull it,” he stated.

Ohagwu added that the police were also expecting support from the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, and other relevant agencies for the deployment of the needed equipment.

He said no survivor had been found so far, adding that clothes and body parts were seen scattered around the crash site.

The NAF ATR-42 aircraft, which was reportedly on a routine flight from Benin to Lagos, crashed in a swampy area opposite the Naval Base in Igbokoda on Monday.