The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has expressed readiness to assist the Nigerian Air Force following the crash of an ATR-42 aircraft in Igbokoda, Ondo State.
The aircraft, with registration number NGR 931, was reportedly on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when it crashed on Monday.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, said the wreckage had been located near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, while search and rescue operations were ongoing.
Keyamo said the Ministry of Aviation had pledged its cooperation and assistance to the Nigerian Air Force, noting that the control and regulation of military aircraft are outside the ministry’s authority.
The NSIB said it had received reports of the accident and that the Nigerian Air Force had confirmed the incident.
Director-General of the NSIB, Captain Alex Badeh Jr, said the bureau was prepared to provide technical support if formally requested by the Air Force.
According to him, such assistance could include deploying investigators and using the bureau’s Flight Safety Laboratory to recover, read and analyse flight recorder data.
Badeh noted that because the aircraft was military, investigative responsibility rested with the Nigerian Air Force.
He also commended the activation of search and rescue operations and urged the public to rely on official updates from the Air Force regarding the rescue operation and investigation.
