Ondo police seek heavier equipment to recover wreckage after air crash

By Boye Oyeyemi

The Ondo State Police Command says the recovery of wreckage and human remains from the military aircraft that crashed in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area, has been hampered by the difficult terrain and lack of proper equipment.

The Commissioner of Police, Felix Ohagwu, disclosed this on Tuesday when he visited the crash site to assess the ongoing recovery operation.

Ohagwu said the mangrove and swampy environment had made access to the site difficult, forcing police personnel and other responders to rely on small boats to reach the location.

According to him, police personnel and other emergency responders had remained at the scene since Monday, but efforts to remove the wreckage and recover the victims had yet to be completed.

He said an on-the-spot assessment indicated that there were no survivors so far, adding that human remains and parts of the aircraft were scattered in and around the water.

The commissioner explained that much of the wreckage remained trapped in the water and could not be removed with the equipment currently available to the rescue teams.

Ohagwu said the command was awaiting heavier equipment from the National Emergency Management Agency and other relevant agencies to facilitate the recovery of the wreckage and human remains.

He added that the police would refrain from commenting further on the cause of the crash until the appropriate authorities conclude their investigation.