The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) reported that water levels at the Igbokoda crash site in Ondo State have dropped significantly as the 14-day recovery effort continued on Monday. Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the NAF’s public relations chief, stated that constant pumping has lowered the water table, with crews aiming to extract the rest depending on weather conditions. The agency characterized the task as an intricate engineering challenge due to the difficult terrain.
Premium Times noted that NAF 931, an ATR 42-500 plane, plunged into a swamp on October 5 during a standard flight from Benin City to Lagos. All 25 individuals aboard, including five crew members and 20 passengers, perished. Punch added that controllers lost radio contact around 9:13 am that morning. The NAF confirmed that no survivors were found. Multiple agencies, including the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, are assisting with the extraction, with Hitech Construction Company helping manage the dewatering process.
Crews are installing sandbags along the embankment to stop it from collapsing. Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, the Chief of the Air Staff, praised the team’s steady and professional work. He promised the NAF would finish the job safely while aiding the accident probe. The service also sent condolences to the families of the deceased, recognizing their ongoing grief.
Local worries about environmental damage have increased. Inhabitants of Igbokoda have complained of a strong, unpleasant smell and potential taint of their water supply. Afolabi Odidiomo, the area’s traditional ruler, cautioned that the swamp links to a river feeding the community, including a treatment plant in Aboto. The Ondo State Government has ordered its environment and health ministries to fumigate and prepare bottled water if the river becomes unusable. Residents have also expressed fears about possible pollution from aviation fuel, prompting the NAF to pledge a review with environmental experts once the plane is fully retrieved.