RismadarVoice Reporters
October 9, 2026
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has intensified efforts to recover the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder of its ATR-42 aircraft, which crashed in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, killing all 25 personnel on board.
The aircraft, registered NGR 931, was reportedly travelling from Benin to Lagos on a routine flight when it crashed into a swamp opposite the Naval Forward Operating Base in Igbokoda.
Recovery operations have been complicated by the difficult terrain, with the main wreckage yet to be fully excavated and efforts to retrieve the victims’ remains continuing.
The Ondo State Government has deployed amphibious excavators, commonly known as swamp buggies, alongside technical personnel and specialised detection equipment to support the operation.
The crash site, located approximately 500 metres east of the naval base, is surrounded by swampy terrain that has made conventional recovery methods largely ineffective.
Speaking during an inspection of the site, the NAF Superintendent of Standards and Evaluation, Air Vice Marshal Ebimobo Ebiowe, said investigators were concentrating on locating critical aircraft components that could provide evidence about the circumstances of the crash.
He identified the flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR), commonly referred to as black boxes, as essential to the investigation.
The flight data recorder stores information about an aircraft’s operating conditions and performance, while the cockpit voice recorder captures conversations, alarms and other sounds from the flight deck.
Aviation expert Olugbenga Afolabi explained that examining both devices could help investigators reconstruct events preceding the crash and identify possible contributing factors.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Navy has deployed specialised sonar equipment to assist in locating the submerged wreckage.
The Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, directed the Navy’s Hydrographic Department to deploy technical personnel and advanced scanning equipment to the crash site.
According to the Navy, poor underwater visibility caused by the swamp’s high turbidity has made it difficult for divers to locate major sections of the aircraft.
Navy Captain Andy Alemongwa said the sonar survey would help map the affected area and establish the location of submerged aircraft components.
The findings are expected to guide divers and other recovery personnel during subsequent operations.
Nigerian Navy divers and NAF drone operators are also participating in the search, including surveillance of surrounding mangrove and forested areas.
Senior military officers, including the Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Abubakar Abdullahi Mustapha, and the Air Officer Commanding Logistics Command, Air Vice Marshal Abubakar Abdul Suleh, have visited the crash site to assess the recovery efforts.
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, has assured Nigerians that a comprehensive investigation will be conducted to determine the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
Aneke disclosed that a high-level investigative team comprising military personnel, civilian aviation safety specialists and representatives of relevant agencies had been constituted.
He said the investigation would examine available evidence, operational records and recovered aircraft components to establish what happened and identify measures to prevent similar incidents.
The Air Chief also acknowledged the support provided by the Ondo State Government, security agencies and residents during the recovery operations.
He urged members of the public to avoid speculation while investigators carry out their responsibilities.
Aneke further disclosed that he had previously travelled aboard the aircraft with members of his family and personally knew some of the deceased crew members, whom he described as experienced and professional personnel.
He maintained that establishing the circumstances of the crash was essential to honouring the deceased officers and strengthening aviation safety within the Nigerian Air Force.
The cause of the crash has not been officially established, while recovery operations and investigations remain ongoing.
