14 Days After Ondo Crash, NAF Still Draining Aircraft Site

Fourteen days after a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) plane crashed in a swamp in Igbokoda, Ondo State, killing all 25 individuals aboard, the navy says it’s nonetheless intensifying efforts to empty water from the location to facilitate the restoration operation.

The extended operation has been sophisticated by the swampy terrain, thick mud, flooding and unstable floor on the crash web site within the Obe-Rebby swamp, Ilaje Local Government Area.

In an announcement issued on Monday, the NAF stated steady pumping had considerably decreased the water stage, with restoration groups working to take away many of the remaining water, relying on prevailing circumstances.

The navy additionally disclosed that personnel have been reinforcing the embankment with sandbags to forestall a attainable collapse and stabilise the location because the dewatering operation continued.

The announcement highlights the troublesome circumstances confronting restoration groups two weeks after the October 5 crash, which claimed the lives of all passengers and crew members aboard the ATR 42-500 plane, designated NAF 931.

The plane crashed shortly after departing Benin City for Lagos. It had reportedly misplaced contact with air visitors controllers at about 9:13 a.m.

The NAF’s Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, stated the restoration mission required sustained engineering work and steady dewatering due to the difficult surroundings.

The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, recommended the personnel concerned within the operation for his or her professionalism and dedication.

The NAF additionally acknowledged the help of associate businesses and Hitech Construction Company, which it stated had supplied useful help to the restoration effort.

The ongoing restoration operation comes amid questions in regards to the plane’s situation earlier than the deadly accident.

SaharaReporters had earlier reported that the plane developed an engine fault in Benin City on October 4, a day earlier than the crash, and remained grounded in a single day whereas technicians labored on it.

According to a number of sources who spoke to SaharaReporters, the plane had initially departed Abuja for Lagos on October 4, with some passengers scheduled to disembark in Benin City.

The plane reportedly developed an engine downside after touchdown in Benin, forcing it to stay there in a single day for repairs.

Sources stated the plane departed Benin for Lagos on the morning of October 5 after technicians indicated that the fault had been rectified. It crashed minutes after take-off.

SaharaReporters had additionally reported that the official description of the flight as a routine Benin-to-Lagos mission didn’t totally clarify the plane’s previous journey.

The plane’s upkeep historical past has additionally drawn consideration. According to earlier experiences, NAF 931 was flown to Rheinland Air Service in Mönchengladbach, Germany, in January 2022 for periodic depot upkeep and remained there for nearly three years earlier than returning to Nigeria in December 2024.

The report additionally famous that the plane had beforehand undergone upkeep in Scotland, whereas its sister plane, NAF 930, had undergone periodic depot upkeep in Germany.

The circumstances surrounding the engine fault reportedly skilled earlier than the crash, the plane’s airworthiness and the occasions resulting in the accident stay issues for investigation.

Following the crash, the NAF stated it had ordered strengthened flight-safety oversight throughout its operations.

The measures embody stricter monitoring of plane airworthiness, upkeep high quality assurance, operational procedures and aircrew competence.

President Bola Tinubu has additionally directed a radical investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident.

The NAF stated it remained dedicated to finishing the restoration operation safely and methodically whereas supporting the continued investigation.

It acknowledged the ache and anguish skilled by the households of the victims and prolonged its condolences to them, promising to offer well timed and verified updates because the operation progresses.

The navy additionally appealed for persistence and cooperation from residents of Igbokoda and different stakeholders aiding the restoration groups.