Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has said rescuers found no survivor at the site of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft crash in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of the state.
Aiyedatiwa said in an interview on Channels TV Politics Today that rescuers recovered parts of the aircraft, including sections of its wings, identification cards and military uniforms, after the aircraft crashed into a swampy area near the Naval Forward Operating Base in Igbokoda.
The governor gave the account while speaking on the incident, saying information about the crash reached him at about 10:30 a.m. on Monday through the Chairman of Ilaje Local Government Area.
He said the initial information available to the state government was sketchy, with residents on the other side of the river, facing the Naval Forward Operating Base, reporting a loud sound and what appeared to be a tremor.
According to him, some witnesses subsequently reported seeing the aircraft dive into the swamp.
Aiyedatiwa said Nigerian Navy personnel initially stayed back after reaching the area because they were uncertain whether the crash could trigger an explosion or fire.
He said after observing that there was no fire or immediate sign of an explosion, the Navy personnel moved towards the crash site in an attempt to rescue those aboard the aircraft.
The governor said personnel from the state emergency-management authorities also mobilised to the area, while local residents and Amotekun operatives joined the rescue effort.
However, he said the teams were unable to find any living person at the crash site at the time of his briefing.
“No single life was saved up to this moment,” Aiyedatiwa said, adding that rescuers could not find “any living soul” in the aircraft.
He said the teams instead found aircraft wreckage, including parts of the wings, as well as identification cards and military uniforms.
According to the governor, the items recovered helped authorities establish that the aircraft was a military aircraft.
The incident involved a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft reportedly travelling from Benin to Lagos on a routine mission.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, had said the aircraft, with registration number NGR 931, was carrying 25 passengers and seven crew members.
Keyamo said air traffic controllers lost contact with the aircraft at about 9:13 a.m. before subsequent information confirmed that it had crashed near the Naval Base in Igbokoda.
The Nigerian Air Force also confirmed the crash and said search-and-rescue operations had been activated in coordination with relevant authorities and emergency-response agencies.
Aiyedatiwa said he was still in contact with officials in Igbokoda and was receiving updates from his Senior Special Adviser on Security as well as the Nigerian Air Force.
He said the NAF was also conducting its own assessment to establish the circumstances surrounding the crash.
The governor described the incident as a painful development, particularly because it involved military personnel serving to protect Nigeria’s territorial integrity.
He said the fact that the crash occurred in his home state and local government area made the incident particularly distressing.
Aiyedatiwa had earlier directed the State Emergency Management Agency, Ministry of Health and relevant security agencies to deploy personnel and resources to support the NAF and other emergency responders at the crash site.
He also ordered security agencies to cordon off the area and prevent unauthorised persons from interfering with the rescue operation.
Meanwhile, the Presidency has issued a statement mourning those aboard the aircraft.
