The Ondo State Police Command says it is awaiting heavy-duty equipment to support efforts to recover the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft that crashed in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area, on Monday.
The state Commissioner of Police, Felix Ohagwu, disclosed this after visiting the crash site, noting that the swampy terrain had made recovery operations difficult.
Ohagwu said the crash site was surrounded by creeks and mangroves, adding that he had to travel by canoe to reach the location.
He said some body parts and fragments of the aircraft had been recovered, while efforts to retrieve the submerged wreckage were ongoing.
“For now, the recovery of the wreckage is still in progress. I will not say much until after the conclusion of the investigation by the relevant agencies,” he said.
The commissioner said the command was expecting heavier equipment capable of pulling the aircraft from the water.
“We are still expecting a bigger machine to be able to pull the wreckage from the water. We have to pull it,” he stated.
Ohagwu added that the police were also expecting support from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other relevant agencies for the deployment of the necessary equipment.
He said no survivor had been found at the crash site so far, adding that clothes and body parts were seen scattered around the area.
The NAF ATR-42 aircraft, which was reportedly on a routine flight from Benin to Lagos, crashed in a swampy area opposite the Naval Base in Igbokoda on Monday.
The recovery operation and investigation into the cause of the crash are ongoing.
