IGBOKODA — Joint search-and-recovery teams comprising personnel from the Nigerian Navy and the Marine Police Command have commenced intensive operations across the dense mangrove swamps of Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, following Monday’s fatal crash of a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) ATR-42 aircraft.
Surrounding waterways and land access points near the crash site—located adjacent to the local Naval Base—have been cordoned off by naval officers to control crowds as sympathizers and local residents continue to gather in the area.
Operational units are utilizing patrol boats and specialized diving equipment to navigate the waterlogged terrain, recover the remains of the 32 victims, and secure vital wreckage debris, including the aircraft’s flight data recorder (black box).
The security containment follows the official release of the flight manifest by the NAF High Command in Abuja, which confirmed that all 25 passengers and five crew members on board lost their lives in the disaster.
Navy and police commanders at the scene emphasized that restrictions on movement around the perimeter will remain strictly enforced to preserve forensic evidence for the military accident investigation board and protect the dignity of the deceased.
