Pilot’s final move prevented wider tragedy in Igbokoda — Ondo monarch

By Boye Oyeyemi

The traditional ruler of Igbokoda, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo, has said the pilot of the Nigerian Air Force aircraft that crashed in the community prevented a greater tragedy by steering the plane away from the populated areas of the town.

The monarch made the observation on Wednesday while speaking about the October 5 crash, which claimed the lives of all 25 people aboard the ATR-42 aircraft with registration number NAF 931.

According to him, the crash could have caused extensive destruction and more casualties if the aircraft had come down in a residential area rather than the swampy location near the Naval Base where it eventually crashed.

Odidiomo said the incident immediately triggered concern among residents, who mobilised to locate the crash site and determine whether any of the occupants could be rescued.

He said fishermen operating around the area at the time also assisted the community in identifying the location of the crash, while some residents arrived with tools in an attempt to break into the aircraft and search for survivors.

However, their efforts were hampered after they discovered that parts of the wreckage had sunk beneath the water, while the difficult terrain further slowed access to the site and forced the community and recovery teams to create a passage into the area.

The monarch said an excavator had subsequently been deployed to open up the route, adding that the community was also exploring other ways to support the recovery of the submerged wreckage, including the possible use of a large local boat and chains if conventional equipment proved inadequate.

While describing the loss of lives as painful, Odidiomo praised the pilot for what he described as a final act that spared Igbokoda from a more devastating disaster, assuring that residents would continue to support efforts to recover the wreckage and remains of those who died in the crash.