I knew everyone on board, Aneke says

Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, has described the officers who died in the Monday crash involving an ATR-42 aircraft in Igbokoda, headquarters of the Ilaje Local Council Area of Ondo State, as highly trained, professional, and intelligent officers.

According to Aneke, the best that can be done is to honour the sacrifice the fallen officers made while on board the aircraft.

The Air Chief stated this yesterday when he visited the crash site as the recovery and evacuation efforts of the crashed and submerged aircraft with tail number NAF 931 entered day four.

The aircraft, which went down on Monday morning, is buried and submerged deep in the swamp, making it a herculean task for the search team to operate optimally.

The crash, which has plunged the country into mourning, occurred when the aircraft, which was on a routine mission from Benin, the Edo State capital, to Lagos, fell into the Igbokoda creeks with 25 souls on board.

The Air Chief disclosed that he had directed his Superintendent of Safety and Evaluation to assemble a high-level delegation comprising military and civilian safety experts, the National Transportation Safety Board, the Accident and Emergency Management Board, retired senior officers, and experienced Air Force officers to get to the root of what happened.

While urging the public to avoid speculation while the investigation runs its course, Aneke said, “I basically knew everyone on that flight. I’ve flown on this aeroplane. My family has flown on this aeroplane. I know each of the crew personally.

“This is not the time to start speculating, and I plead with you, general public. We’ve lost people who are fighting for the nation. The best we can do for them is to be a little bit patient and let those who are the specialists get to the bottom of what has happened.

“If you know the aviation environment, you understand that the more activities you have, the more likelihood you have of incidents like this. We in the Air Force leave no stone unturned. When it comes to safety, everything is ensured.”

Aneke appreciated the Ondo State Government and residents, who were the first responders, saying, “Words cannot describe how we Nigerians come together when things go sour.”

He also assured the families of the deceased personnel that the Nigerian Armed Forces would stand by them and ensure they are safe, describing the loss as one that no words could adequately console.