Aiyedatiwa visits Ondo air crash site, orders continued search

Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa toured the crash site of the Nigerian Air Force aircraft on Wednesday and ordered the ongoing search and recovery efforts. He described the incident as a national tragedy, revealing no survivors and the missing main wreckage believed to be submerged in the swamp. Aiyedatiwa directed the Ministry of Works to deploy two amphibious swamp machines to aid the recovery operation alongside the Nigerian Navy, Air Force, National Emergency Management Agency, State Emergency Management Agency, and local divers.

He informed that human remains, clothing, parts of the aircraft, and leaking aviation fuel have been recovered, posing an environmental pollution risk. Eyewitnesses reported the pilot encountered an engine problem before crashing, reportedly avoiding the community before coming down 200 meters away. Aiyedatiwa expressed condolences to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Nigerian Air Force, and the victims' families, praising them as young Nigerians who served and defended the nation. He urged the public to pray for the bereaved families as the recovery operation persists.