THE Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has recovered additional components from its ATR 42-500 aircraft that crashed in Igbokoda, Ondo State, as multi-agency teams continue search and recovery operations at the accident site.
In a statement posted on its official X handle on Wednesday, the Air Force said specialist divers from the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) continued underwater search and recovery operations alongside its recovery team.
“Additional aircraft components have been recovered as efforts continue to locate and retrieve relevant materials for documentation and preservation in support of the ongoing investigation,” the statement said.
The development comes amid growing concerns over the potential public health risks posed by the unrecovered bodies of the 25 people aboard the aircraft, with residents and the community’s traditional ruler warning that decomposing remains and possible fuel leaks could contaminate local water sources.
The monarch of Igbokoda, Afolabi Odidiomo, had raised the alarm over the persistent stench from the crash site and the possible pollution of a river connected to the community’s water supply.
Odidiomo had urged the government to urgently clean up and restore the affected environment, warning that the swamp was connected to a water source used by residents.
He said the community’s water treatment facility in Aboto, about seven kilometres from Igbokoda, receives water from the same river system, raising concerns about possible contamination.
Residents have also complained about the persistent odour since the crash, while some expressed fears about the potential effects on children and other vulnerable members of the community.
The ICIR reported that 25 people were killed on Monday October 5, when NAF 931, an ATR-42 aircraft, crashed in the Igbokoda area of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The crash has renewed attention on the safety of Nigeria’s military aviation operations and the financial implications of losing aircraft that are often worth millions of dollars.
President Bola Tinubu and the NAF had earlier ordered comprehensive investigations into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
In its latest statement, the NAF said that the operation involves hydrographic surveys, satellite-based search-and-rescue imagery, mud excavation and the pumping out of excess water to facilitate access to areas of interest.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.