The Ondo State police command said it is awaiting heavy equipment and technical support from relevant agencies to facilitate the recovery of the wreckage of the Nigerian Air Force aircraft that crashed in the Igbokoda area of the state.

The state Commissioner of Police, Felix Ohagwu, who made the disclosure after assessing the crash site on Tuesday, said the difficult terrain made the recovery operation challenging.

The aircraft marked NAF-931 with 25 people on board on Monday plunged into a swampy area near the Naval Base in Igbokoda.

‎According to Mr Ohagwu, the crash site is surrounded by creeks and mangroves, forcing him to use a canoe to access the area.

“It’s a very difficult terrain: the creeks and the mangroves. Accessing the site of the crash was not easy. I had to use a canoe.

“We are still expecting more technical support and bigger machines from the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) to be able to pull the wreckage from the water.

“From on-the-spot assessment, there are no survivors; what we see is just body parts and passengers’ clothes littered everywhere,” he said.

The wreckage is still submerged in the swamp. 

(NAN)