The Nigerian Air Force has recovered additional components from its ATR 42-500 aircraft that crashed in Igbokoda, Ondo State, as specialist teams continue search and recovery operations to support the investigation into the accident.
The Air Force announced the development in a statement published on its official X account on Wednesday, saying personnel from the Nigerian Navy, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau and its own recovery team remained engaged in underwater searches and the retrieval of aircraft materials.
The crash occurred on October 5, 2026, killing everyone on board, according to the information provided by the Air Force.
The recovery operation involves several technical procedures designed to locate and retrieve relevant components from the accident site. These include hydrographic surveys, satellite-based search-and-rescue imagery, excavation of mud and the pumping out of excess water to improve access to areas of interest.
The Air Force said the recovered materials would be documented and preserved to support the ongoing investigation.
“Additional aircraft components have been recovered as efforts continue to locate and retrieve relevant materials for documentation and preservation in support of the ongoing investigation,” the statement said.
The multi-agency team has continued working both day and night, with specialist divers assisting efforts to search underwater areas. The recovery process is intended to secure relevant physical evidence that investigators can examine as they work to establish the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Meanwhile, Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo has expressed grief over the death of Squadron Leader Mahmoud Idanegbe Aburime, the aircraft’s pilot and an indigene of the state.
Aburime hailed from Uwessan in Esan Central Local Government Area. Okpebholo described him as a courageous officer whose death represented a painful loss to his family, Edo State and Nigeria.
The governor also recalled Aburime’s time studying Mass Communication at the University of Benin, where he was reportedly known among classmates as a quiet and gentle person who did not flaunt his military rank.
Despite the demands of his military career, Aburime continued his university education. The governor noted that the pilot had sat a make-up examination at the institution just days before the fatal crash.
Okpebholo extended his condolences to the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Kelvin Aneke, the Nigerian Air Force and the families of everyone who died in the accident.
The recovery of aircraft components remains an important part of the investigation, as the relevant agencies work to preserve evidence and establish what led to the tragedy. No conclusion about the cause of the crash was provided in the statement.
Deborah Adeyefa
