The traditional ruler of Igbokoda, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo, has commended the pilot of the Nigerian Air Force aircraft that crashed in the Ondo community, saying his actions spared the town from a greater disaster. The crash, which occurred on October 5, claimed the lives of all 25 people on board. The monarch stated that if the aircraft had fallen within the town, the effect would have been more devastating.
The NAF ATR-42 aircraft, with registration number NAF 931, crashed in a swampy area near the Naval Base in Igbokoda while on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos. Air traffic controllers lost contact with the aircraft at about 9:13am, leading to the activation of search and rescue operations. The Nigerian Air Force confirmed that five crew members and 20 passengers were on board, with no survivors.
President Bola Tinubu declared three days of national mourning over the deaths and ordered a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash. The community had been deeply disturbed by the incident, with residents immediately mobilizing after witnessing the aircraft go down. Some people went to the area to establish what had happened, while two fishermen who were in the area escaped unhurt and helped residents locate the crash site.
According to the monarch, residents initially went to the site with tools, hoping that some of the victims might still be alive and could be rescued. However, when they reached the location, they only found remnants of the aircraft. The community was the first to reach the site and quickly directed security agencies to the location.
Accessing the crash site had been difficult due to the area's navigability, requiring the community to create a route to it. An excavator has since created access to the area, and the community is prepared to explore other means of recovering what remained of the aircraft. The monarch stated that the community was considering alternative methods of retrieving the wreckage, including the use of a large locally made boat and chains.
The difficult recovery conditions remained a major concern, particularly because of the possibility that bodies were in the surrounding water. Despite the risks involved, the community was still considering how to assist in the recovery operation. The monarch expressed that the water around the crash site would likely be infested with bodies, causing it to stink terribly.
The community remained pained by the loss of lives within its territory, but they celebrated the pilot's sacrifice in sparing the town from a greater disaster. The traditional ruler emphasized that the incident had unified the community, with residents reflecting on the crash and the ongoing recovery efforts.
Key points
- The pilot of the crashed aircraft averted a bigger disaster by preventing the plane from falling within the town.
- The community faced challenges in accessing the crash site due to its difficult terrain.
- The Nigerian government declared three days of national mourning and ordered an investigation into the crash.
