Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, on Wednesday visited the site of the Nigerian Air Force aircraft crash in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area, as rescue teams continued searching for victims and the wreckage.
He described the incident as a national tragedy and said no survivor had been found, while the aircraft’s main wreckage was still missing because it was believed to be buried deep in the swamp.
The governor ordered the deployment of two amphibious swamp machines to help security agencies and emergency responders gain better access to the difficult terrain.
He said the crash site was heartbreaking, with human remains, pieces of clothing and aircraft debris already recovered from the area.
Aiyedatiwa also raised concern over aviation fuel leaking into the surrounding water, warning that it was polluting the environment.
He said eyewitnesses believed the pilot experienced an engine problem but steered the aircraft away from nearby homes before it crashed, preventing a greater disaster.
The governor sympathised with President Bola Tinubu, the Nigerian Air Force and the families of the victims, describing the deceased as brave young Nigerians who died while serving the country. Search and recovery operations by the Nigerian Navy, supported by emergency agencies and local divers, are continuing as efforts to recover the remaining victims and the aircraft continue.
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