Ondo crash: Witnesses revealed how pilot maneuvered plane to avoid more casualties – Aiyedatiwa

The Governor of Ondo State, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, on Wednesday, visited the scene of the Nigerian Air Force plane crash at Igbokoda, headquarters of the local government area of ​​Ilaje State, and directed the continuation of search and recovery operations of the victims and major wreckage of the aircraft.

Aiyedatiwa described the crash as a national tragedy, saying no survivors had been found at the crash site at the time of his visit.

The aircraft, carrying NAF personnel on a special mission from Benin to Lagos, crashed in Igbokoda on Monday, triggering a major search and recovery operation involving the Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Navy, emergency management agencies and local residents.

The governor, who toured the difficult marshy terrain alongside military and emergency officials, said about 25 people were believed to be on board the plane.

He said the exact cause of the crash could only be established after the investigation was completed, stressing that the pilot would be in the best position to explain what happened in the final moments of the flight.

Aiyedatiwa, however, said information provided by residents who witnessed the crash suggests the plane may have drifted away from the community before crashing into the swamp.

According to him, the plane fell about 200 meters from the community, a development that he said may have prevented an even bigger civil catastrophe.

The governor said witnesses reported that the plane appeared to be in difficulty before crashing.

He said the pilot appeared to have made an effort to get the plane away from the populated area before it ended up crashing into the swamp.

“Only the pilot could explain the effort made to maneuver the plane away from the community,” the governor said.

He added that if the plane had crashed in the middle of the community, the consequences could have been much more devastating.

However, the governor’s account of the plane’s final maneuver remains subject to confirmation by investigators examining the crash.