By Ayodele Oni
Ondo state Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa has observed that the late pilot of the Nigerian Air Force aircraft which crashed at Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area, averted bigger disaster by diverting the plane.
A statement by Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Ebenezer Adeniyan, stated that the aircraft crashed 200 metres from the community.
Aiyedatiwa, on Wednesday visited the scene of the Nigerian Air Force aircraft crash at Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area, as search and recovery operations continued for the victims and the main wreckage
The governor expressed gratitude that the aircraft did not crash in the middle of the community, saying that would have resulted in a major catastrophe.
According to him, residents who witnessed the incident explained that the aircraft appeared to be coming down with a sound suggesting a bad engine and was almost landing within the community.
He said the pilot managed to manoeuvre the aircraft away from the community before it landed about 200 metres away and went straight into the swamp.
Governor Aiyedatiwa added that only the pilot could explain the effort made to manoeuvre the aircraft away from the community.
The governor commiserated with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, over the loss of the officers.
Governor Aiyedatiwa described the crash as a national tragedy, saying no survivor has been found at the scene as of the time of his visit.
The aircraft, which was carrying Nigerian Air Force personnel on a special mission from Benin to Lagos, crashed at Igbokoda on Monday.
The governor said only the pilot could have explained the cause of the crash, adding that the approximately 25 occupants were believed to have died.
He visited the site alongside personnel of the Nigerian Navy and Air Force, divers, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Director for the Southwest, the State Emergency Management Agency director and local residents who had participated in rescue efforts since Monday.
Governor Aiyedatiwa described the scene as a “very gory sight”, with parts of bodies, clothes and jackets belonging to Air Force personnel and broken aircraft parts recovered and preserved for further investigation.
According to him, the main body of the aircraft has not been sighted as it was believed to be submerged in the swamp.
The governor stated that the difficulty in accessing the site prompted him to direct the Ministry of Works to deploy two amphibious machines, popularly known as swamp boogies, to open wider access through the waterways.
He noted that the machines had enabled rescue teams to move bigger boats closer to the crash site and were being used to excavate the soil in search of other parts of the wreckage or the main body of the aircraft.
The governor revealed that the aircraft has still not been sighted as of the time of his visit, while Navy personnel and local divers continued searching the deeper sections of the area for possible bodies and the cockpit.
He said the nature and depth of the swamp could have caused the aircraft to become deeply submerged in the mud.
Governor Aiyedatiwa also disclosed that jet fuel was flowing into the water, resulting in pollution of the area with aviation fuel.
He sympathised with the families of the deceased and the Nigerian Air Force, describing the victims as able and young Nigerians who had signed up to defend and protect the territorial integrity of the country.
He urged Nigerians to continue praying for the families of the deceased, saying their death was not what anybody expected.
Meanwhile, the Commander of the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base, Igbokoda, Captain Andy Alemongwa, briefed the governor on the progress of the search and rescue operation.
The briefing came as Navy personnel and local divers continued efforts to locate the missing bodies and the main wreckage of the aircraft.
The Governor was accompanied by the Deputy Governor, Dr Olayide Adelami; Secretary to the State Government, Dr Taiwo Fasoranti, members of the State Executive Council and Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Emergency Management, Mr. Wellington Oriade Adebawo.
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