RismadarVoice Reporters
October 15, 2026
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) and the Nigerian Navy have recovered additional aircraft components from the site of the Nigerian Air Force ATR 42-500 plane crash in Igbokoda, Ondo State, as underwater search operations continue.
The aircraft, identified as NAF 931, crashed on October 5, 2026, while travelling from Benin City, Edo State, to Lagos, killing all 25 people on board, including five crew members and 20 passengers.
In an operational update released on Wednesday, the NSIB said specialist divers were working around the clock to retrieve submerged wreckage and other materials required for the ongoing investigation.
The bureau explained that the aircraft had sunk into difficult swampy terrain, complicating recovery efforts and requiring specialised equipment to access sections of the wreckage.
According to the NSIB, the operation involves hydrographic surveys, satellite synthetic aperture radar imagery, excavation of mud and continuous pumping of water to improve access to submerged aircraft components.
The bureau confirmed that additional materials had been recovered but did not disclose their identities or the proportion of the wreckage retrieved.
It maintained that recovery operations would continue until investigators had secured the relevant materials needed to establish the circumstances surrounding the accident.
The aircraft reportedly lost contact with air traffic controllers at approximately 9:13 a.m. before its wreckage was discovered near the Nigerian Navy’s Forward Operating Base in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area.
Following the accident, the Nigerian Air Force constituted a 12-member Aircraft Accident Investigation Board to investigate the crash and recommend measures to prevent similar occurrences.
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, also visited the accident site and assured the families of the deceased that the circumstances surrounding the tragedy would be thoroughly investigated.
Meanwhile, the Ondo State Government deployed swamp buggies to assist recovery personnel after the aircraft was found submerged in the waterlogged environment.
The state’s Commissioner for Health, Banji Ajaka, explained that the terrain had made conventional recovery operations difficult, necessitating the deployment of heavy-duty equipment alongside specialist divers.
The prolonged recovery operation has also generated environmental concerns among residents of Igbokoda.
The Olu of Igbokoda, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo, raised concerns over an offensive odour around the affected river and the possibility of contamination from aviation fuel and aircraft debris.
He urged the relevant authorities to accelerate recovery operations and address potential risks to residents who depend on the river for domestic and economic activities.
Following the concerns, the Ondo State Government ordered fumigation around the affected area and directed relevant agencies to address environmental and public health issues.
Although more aircraft components have been recovered, investigators have yet to publicly establish the cause of the crash.
The NSIB said efforts to retrieve additional evidence remain ongoing as the investigation continues.
