Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has said no survivor has been found following the crash of a Nigerian Air Force aircraft in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of the state.
Aiyedatiwa, who disclosed this during an interview with Channels Television on Monday, said residents, security personnel and emergency responders had searched the crash site without finding anyone alive.
He said residents across the river from the Nigerian Navy base in Igbokoda heard a loud sound before seeing the aircraft plunge into a swampy area.
According to him, the Navy initially stayed back to ascertain whether there was any fire or explosion before moving to the crash site.
“When they noticed that it’s just an accident, they didn’t see any sign of fire. So they moved in, trying to see if they could rescue the people,” Aiyedatiwa said.
He said officials of the local emergency management agency, residents and Amotekun personnel also joined the search.
“But from the information we got, no single life was saved up
to this moment. They could not see any living soul that was in that aircraft,” the governor said.Aiyedatiwa said searchers recovered parts of the aircraft, including wing wreckage, identification cards and uniforms.
“But they saw the ruins, some of the wreckage from the wings of the aircraft, you know, some ID cards, I was told, and then uniform. That was when they knew it was a military aircraft,” he said.
Describing the incident as painful, the governor said, “So it’s a sad situation today. And we’re all really, really agreed as a Nigerian. And also it happens in my own state, not just my state, even in my own local government where I’m from.”
The Nigerian Air Force had confirmed that an ATR-42 aircraft, with tail number NGR 931, crashed in Igbokoda while on a routine mission from Benin, Edo State, to Lagos.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, said preliminary information indicated that 25 passengers and seven crew members were aboard the aircraft.
