By Ayomide Otitoju
Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has explained the deployment of two amphibious machines, popularly known as swamp boogies, to the site of the Nigerian Air Force aircraft crash in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area.
Aiyedatiwa said the machines were deployed by the state Ministry of Works to widen access through the waterways and facilitate recovery efforts at the crash site, which is located in a difficult-to-access swampy area.
The governor spoke on Wednesday during a visit to the crash site.
The Nigerian Air Force aircraft, with tail number NGR 931, crashed near the Naval Base in Igbokoda on Monday morning while on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos.
The aircraft had 25 people on board, comprising five crew members and 20 passengers. All occupants died in the crash, according to the Nigerian Air Force.
The crash occurred shortly after 9am, after air traffic controllers lost contact with the aircraft at about 9:13am. The wreckage was later located in the Igbokoda area, with the Nigerian Navy and Marine Police joining local efforts to recover the victims and wreckage.
Aiyedatiwa described the incident as a national tragedy, saying the difficult terrain made the deployment of the amphibious machines necessary.
He said the main body of the aircraft had not been located as of the time of his visit, adding that it was believed to be submerged in the swamp.
According to the governor, Navy personnel and local divers were searching the deeper sections of the area for the victims’ bodies and the cockpit.
He said the swamp boogies would create wider access through the waterways and ease the movement of personnel involved in the recovery operation.
Search and recovery operations are continuing at the site, while security personnel have restricted access to the area.
The Nigerian Air Force has ordered a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash, while the Federal Government has also directed a probe into the incident.
