NAF has constituted a high-level panel of military and civilian aviation experts to investigate the ATR-42 crash in Igbokoda, Ondo State.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has constituted a high-level panel to investigate the crash of its ATR-42 aircraft in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, as recovery operations continue at the difficult swampy site.
The aircraft, with registration number NAF 931, crashed on Monday while conducting a routine mission from Benin City to Lagos, carrying 25 passengers and seven crew members.
Chief of Air Staff (CAS) Sunday Aneke announced the investigation panel on Thursday during a visit to the crash site, where recovery teams were still searching for the main wreckage and the remains of those on board.
NAF assembles military, civilian experts
Aneke said the panel would bring together military and civilian aviation safety specialists to establish the circumstances surrounding the crash and determine what led to the accident. The team is expected to include representatives of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), accident and emergency management authorities, retired senior military officers and experienced NAF personnel.
“I had informed my superintendent of safety and evaluation to come up with a high-level delegation comprising both military and civilian safety experts, NSIB, accident and emergency management board, retired senior officers and experienced Air Force officers, to sit down and get to the bottom of what happened,” Aneke said.
He urged members of the public to avoid speculation while the investigation is underway, stressing that specialists should be allowed to establish the circumstances surrounding the crash.
“This is not the time to start speculating,” he said, adding that the victims were personnel who had been serving the country. Aneke said the NAF would “leave no stone unturned” in determining the cause of the crash and reiterated that safety remained a priority for the service.
Recovery operation faces difficult terrain
Recovery teams are continuing their search at the crash site, which is located in a swampy area near the Naval Base in Igbokoda. Aneke said the operation has been complicated by thick mangroves, murky waters and deep mud, making it difficult for responders to reach parts of the site and retrieve the wreckage and remains of those on board. Teams are also working to recover components of the aircraft that could provide evidence for the investigation.
The CAS commended the Ondo State Government and residents of Igbokoda for their support, particularly because local residents were among the first people to respond after the aircraft went down. “The locals here, the residents here, were the first responders,” he said, noting that the response demonstrated the importance of cooperation between government agencies, security forces and communities during emergencies.
NAF promises support for families
Aneke described the crash as a “very big loss” to the Nigerian military and the families of the victims, saying the personnel on board were highly trained and professional officers.
He said he personally knew everyone on the aircraft and had flown on the same type of plane, adding that his family had also travelled on it. “I basically knew everyone on that flight. I’ve flown on this aeroplane.
My family has flown on this aeroplane. I know each of the crew personally,” he said. The CAS said the Nigerian Air Force was providing support to the families of those who died and would continue to ensure they received the necessary assistance during the difficult period.
The investigation panel will now examine the circumstances surrounding the crash as recovery operations continue at the Igbokoda site. The cause of the accident has not been established, and the NAF has urged the public to allow investigators to complete their work before drawing conclusions about what happened. Meanwhile, recovery teams remain at the site searching for the main wreckage, recovering remains and securing aircraft components that could assist the investigation.
