The Ondo State Government has deployed specialised swamp buggies to assist in the recovery of a Nigerian Air Force aircraft that crashed in a difficult swamp terrain in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of the state.
The decision followed the discovery that the aircraft had sunk deep into the swamp after crashing in the area, making it difficult for conventional vehicles and boats to reach the main wreckage.
Ondo State Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Ajaka, disclosed the development while speaking at the crash site, where rescue and recovery operations were continuing.
According to Ajaka, two swamp buggies had been deployed to navigate the difficult terrain and provide access to the submerged aircraft.
He explained that the nature of the terrain meant that ordinary vehicles and speedboats could not get close enough to the main body of the aircraft.
The commissioner said the aircraft had gone deep into the ground as a result of the force of the crash, requiring excavation and specialised equipment to reach the fuselage.
Divers had already begun recovering parts of the wreckage, while military and emergency personnel remained at the site coordinating the operation.
Ajaka also said preliminary accounts suggested that the pilots may have diverted the aircraft away from the Igbokoda community before the crash, potentially preventing a larger disaster in the populated area.
The aircraft, identified as NAF 931, crashed in Igbokoda on Monday while operating a routine mission from Benin to Lagos.
The accident triggered a major emergency response involving the Nigerian Air Force and other security and emergency agencies, as well as local residents who joined efforts to reach the crash site.
The recovery operation has proved particularly challenging because of the location. The wreckage is trapped in swampy terrain close to the Nigerian Naval Forward Operating Base in Igbokoda, limiting the routes available to rescuers.
Ajaka said the state government had been working with the military and other authorities since the incident occurred, adding that the operation would continue until the wreckage was fully recovered.
The National Emergency Management Agency has also joined the response. NEMA officials said the agency was collaborating with the Ondo State Government, security agencies and local residents to coordinate resources for the disaster response.
The Nigerian Air Force subsequently confirmed that all 25 people aboard the aircraft — five crew members and 20 passengers — died in the crash, according to reports published by Nigerian newspapers.
The confirmed loss of life has deepened the tragedy and prompted condolences from political leaders, community groups and other organisations.
For rescuers, however, the immediate priority remains the recovery of the aircraft and the remains of those who died.
The swamp-buggy deployment is therefore expected to play a crucial role in reaching sections of the wreckage that have remained inaccessible since the crash, while investigators work to establish the circumstances that led to the aircraft going down.