‎Ondo Aircraft Crash: Wreckage Still Trapped In Swamp ‎

‎Recovery efforts at the site of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft crash in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, are ongoing, with no bodies evacuated as parts of the aircraft remain buried beneath the swamp.

‎Although some scraps of the aircraft have been recovered, the main body of the plane remains trapped beneath the swamp, while the authorities have yet to announce the location and membership of the panel investigating the crash.

‎The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, disclosed that a high-level investigation team comprising military and civilian safety experts would be constituted to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.

‎Aneke, who visited the crash site, said he had directed the Superintendent of Safety and Evaluation to assemble the team, which would include representatives of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Accident and Emergency Management Board, retired senior officers and experienced Air Force personnel.

‎He said the investigation would focus on determining what happened, urging the public to avoid speculation while specialists work to establish the cause of the crash.

‎He said, “I had informed my Superintendent of Safety and Evaluation to come up with a high-level delegation comprising of both military and civilian safety experts, NTSB, Accident and Emergency Management Board, retired senior officers, experienced Air Force officers, to sit down and get to the bottom of what happened.

‎”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.”

‎However, the Air Chief did not disclose where the panel would sit or identify those expected to be invited to participate in its proceedings.

‎Although Abuja emerged as a possible venue during informal discussions among some military personnel, this could not be independently confirmed as the official location of the investigation.

‎When contacted for an update, the Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, declined to provide details, saying the matter fell within the jurisdiction of the Air Force.

‎“I can’t say anything on that yet. The domain is the Air Force; only them have the details of that,” he said.