Military Plane Crash: Searchers build embankment, begin diversion of water from crash site

The search and rescue team at the crash site of the Nigeria Air Force aircraft in Igbokoda, Ondo State has reviewed its search strategy by raising embankments around the crash area to limit the inflow of water and make for easy access to the remaining parts of the aircraft.

One of the operators of the Swamp Buggies, Adeleye Temitope, who disclosed this when PREMIUM TIMES visited the site on Tuesday, said the machines are helping in excavating heavy mud as an embankment to reduce the water level and allow divers and rescuers to reach the lower parts.

“The work is still ongoing and the swamp buggies are helping us lift the mud to the heights needed to keep the areas clear,” Mr Temitope said.

The NAF ATR-42 aircraft crashed into the swamp at Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, on Monday, 5 October, killing 25 persons on board. It is believed to have plunged into the depths of the mud.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that the divers and rescue teams had intensified their search for the plane’s black box and bodies of the victims.

However, on Tuesday morning, when our reporter visited the site, there were clues of the black box, which is now the main focus of the search operation.

It was also gathered that naval officials were available at the site using Geological Information Systems (GIS) to map the area so as to reach the rest of the wreckage.

It was also gathered that the operation is making efforts to completely remove all trees and other debris that would hamper the process, with a view to keeping the crash area completely free of debris.

Other technicians who visited the site returned with tales of how the area stinks, saying it was no longer safe for people to stay there for longer periods.

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“You can go there to see what is going on, but to stay for more than 10 minutes is not good at all because of the way the place smells,” one of the technical officials, who would not want to be named, said.

However, Odunsola Dada, popularly known as General, who said he has been part of the rescue operation from inception, said ”the smell should not really be a thing of serious concern since the rescue must be done.”

“We all smell, and we will all die, so no matter what the situation is, someone will have to go down there and bring the dead out,” Mr Dada said.

“We are going to continue to work until we remove what is remaining.”