BREAKING: Amphibious Excavators Begin Recovery Of Ondo Crash Victims
Amphibious excavators have begun efforts to recover victims of the Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft crash in the riverine area of Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The recovery operation commenced on Tuesday, more than 24 hours after the aircraft crashed, amid difficult terrain and challenging water conditions.
The operation is being conducted jointly by the Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, Marine Police, Fire Service, National Emergency Management Agency, State Emergency Management Agency, NSCDC, Amotekun, FRSC and other emergency responders.
Addressing journalists in Igbokoda, the Ondo State Commissioner of Police, CP Felix Ohagwu, said there was no confirmed survivor yet.
Ohagwu said security agencies and emergency responders had intensified efforts to recover the victims and the wreckage, but noted that the difficult terrain had slowed the operation.
“What happened yesterday was quite unfortunate. It’s a very difficult terrain, the creeks, mangroves. Assessing the site of the crash was not easy,” he said.
The police commissioner said he had to use a canoe to assess the crash site, adding that the recovery of the wreckage was still ongoing.
He said authorities were awaiting additional technical support and heavier equipment capable of pulling the aircraft from the water, while the police were also expecting support from NEMA and other relevant agencies.
Ohagwu also cautioned against the circulation of unverified videos and information about the crash, urging the public to wait for confirmed information.
“This is a national disaster that we shouldn’t play politics with. Please let’s tarry and wait for verified information,” he said.
Meanwhile, some journalists, particularly those from Agence France-Presse, were reportedly arrested by military personnel, while others were allegedly prevented from accessing the crash site.
The aircraft was conveying 32 people, comprising 25 passengers and seven crew members, when it crashed into a swampy river area in Igbokoda in the early hours of Monday.
The Ondo State Commissioner for Health, Banji Ajaka, said he had spent hours at the crash site with the Commanding Officer of the Forward Operating Base, Igbokoda, and local divers.
Ajaka said medical personnel and ambulances had been deployed from hospitals in Ilaje and Okitipupa Local Government Areas following Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s directive.
He said the crash site was about 500 metres east of the Naval Base in Igbokoda.
Ajaka added that the search and rescue operation would continue with the deployment of swamp buggies and other specialised equipment, while commending security personnel, medical workers and other responders involved in the operation.