NAF Aircraft Crash: 24 hours after, victims’ remains still trapped in Ondo swamp - The Guardian Nigeria News
…. Navy barricades crash site, bars, arrest journalists
Twenty-four hours after a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft crashed into a swampy area in Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje Local Council Area of Ondo State, the remains of the victims were yet to be evacuated as of Tuesday morning due to the difficult terrain.
The aircraft, which went down on Monday morning, is buried and submerged deep in the swamp, making it an herculean task for the search team to operate optimally.
Sources at the scene confirmed that the wreckage lies in a largely inaccessible area, with murky waters and thick vegetation compounding the challenges facing emergency responders.
As of 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, when The Guardian visited the Forward Operating Base (FOB), journalists were barred from accessing the crash site, which is located about 500 metres east of the Naval Base condoned off.
Meanwhile, some journalists were arrested by the operatives of the FOB for purportedly accessing the crash site without approval.
Speaking on the situation, Commissioner of Police, Felix Ohagwu, stated that “what happened yesterday was quite unfortunate. It’s a very difficult terrain, the creeks, mangroves. Assessing the site of the crash was not easy. I had to use a smaller boat, a canoe, to assess it.
“I thank the OCA, Marine, and the DPO Igbokoda, who have been on the ground since yesterday, giving us support. For now, the recovery of the wreckage is still in progress.
“More of the technical support has been awaited. Most of the scene has been calmed down. We are still expecting a bigger machine to be able to pull the wreckage from the water. We have to pull it. So we are still expecting a response from NEMA and so on and so forth, so that they come with a bigger instrument to pull the wreckage out of the water.”
The Commissioner for Health in Ondo State, Banji Ajaka, who has been involved in the operation, provided a detailed account of the challenges encountered noted that he had been in the forest with the Commanding Officer of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Igbokoda.
According to him, they have been overseeing the operation and deploying personnel and ambulances from all hospitals in the two local council areas as directed by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
“I have been in the forest with CO FOB Igbokoda for search and rescue operation. I have deployed personnel and ambulances from all the Hospitals in Ilaje and Okitipupa LGAs as directed by Mr. Governor.
“The site is about 500 metres East of the Naval Base. People are just videoing and posting all manners of information far away from the site. I was at the place till around 11 p.m. with local divers and CO and his men,” Ajaka stated
The commissioner stressed the gravity of the incident, describing it as a national disaster that should not be politicised.
He urged the public to refrain from spreading unverified information, noting that the operation would continue early in the morning with the deployment of swamp buggies and other rescue equipment.
“This is a national disaster that we shouldn’t play politics with. Please let’s tarry and wait for verified information,” he said.
Ajaka also commended the Commanding Officer of FOB Igbokoda and his men, as well as other individuals involved in the operation, including medical personnel from the State Specialist Hospital (SSH) Okitipupa, the General Hospital (GH) Igbokoda Comprehensive Health Center, and others.
“We must commend this CO FOB Igbokoda and his men, other people involved in the search and rescue operation including the medical personnel of the SSH Okitipupa, GH Igbokoda Comprehensive Health Center Igbokoda and others. May we not experience this type of monumental loss again in this country,” he added.
