The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, has ordered a high-level investigation into the crash of a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, as hopes of finding survivors fade.
Aneke announced the constitution of the investigative panel on Thursday, according to Premium Times, during a visit to the crash site, where recovery operations had continued for three days without locating the main body of the aircraft trapped beneath the mud.
The aircraft crashed on Monday while on a routine mission from Benin City to Lagos, with 25 people reportedly on board.
The Air Chief said the investigation would involve military and civilian aviation safety experts, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Accident and Emergency Management Board, retired senior officers and experienced Air Force personnel.
“I had informed my Superintendent of Safety and Evaluation to come up with a high-level delegation comprising both military and civilian safety experts to sit down and get to the bottom of what happened,” he said.
Aneke urged Nigerians to avoid speculation, stressing that the circumstances surrounding the tragedy should be established by qualified investigators.
“This is not the time to start speculating. I plead with you, and the general public, we’ve lost people who are fighting for the nation. The best we can do for them is to be a little bit patient and let those who are the specialists get to the bottom of what has happened,” he said.
Expressing deep personal grief over the incident, the Air Chief disclosed that he knew everyone aboard the ill-fated aircraft and had flown in the same plane with his family.
“I basically knew everyone on that flight. I’ve flown on this aeroplane. My family has flown on this aeroplane. I know each of the crew personally. Highly trained, professional, and intelligent officers,” he said.
He assured the bereaved families that the Nigerian Armed Forces would provide the necessary support during the difficult period.
“The Nigerian Air Force is putting everything possible to ensure that the families get the necessary support they need,” Aneke added.
Meanwhile, recovery efforts at the swampy crash site have faced serious challenges, with heavy machinery deployed to clear surrounding bushes and dig through the mud in search of the aircraft’s main wreckage.
The Ondo State Government provided two swamp buggies to facilitate access to the site and support the recovery operation.
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, however, expressed concern over the inability of rescue teams to locate the main body of the aircraft despite days of intensive efforts.
So far, only torn clothing, body parts and fragments of the aircraft’s panels have been recovered and brought ashore.
The Air Chief commended the Ondo State Government and local residents for their assistance, noting that community members were among the first responders at the scene.
The investigation is expected to establish the circumstances that led to the tragic crash.
Tags: Nigerian Air Force, Military Plane Crash, Ondo State
