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Military Plane Crash: Air Force Begins Search for Black Box and Voice Recorders
Investigators are searching for the flight data and cockpit voice recorders as submerged wreckage and difficult swamp terrain hamper recovery operations in Ondo State.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has begun efforts to recover the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder from its ATR-42 aircraft that crashed in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, killing all 25 people on board.
Air Vice Marshal Ebimobo Ebiowe, the NAF Superintendent of Standards and Evaluation, disclosed this on Friday, October 9, 2026, while speaking to journalists at the crash site.
Ebiowe said investigators were searching for critical components of the wreckage that could help establish the circumstances surrounding the accident.
He identified the Flight Data Recorder (FDR), commonly known as the black box, and the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) as key components being sought by the investigation team.
“We hope to be able to find critical components of the aircraft that will speak to the investigators because the aircraft wreckage actually speaks to the investigators,” Ebiowe said.
He explained that the two recording devices could provide important evidence to help investigators reconstruct the aircraft’s final moments and determine what led to the crash.
The aircraft, identified as NAF 931, crashed into a swamp near the Nigerian Navy’s Forward Operating Base in Igbokoda on Monday, October 5, while on a routine mission from Benin City, Edo State, to Lagos.
The Air Force subsequently confirmed that all 25 people on board—20 passengers and five crew members—had died.
Difficult Terrain Hampers Recovery Operations
Recovery efforts have been complicated by the swampy terrain and the submerged wreckage. Reports from the site indicated that the main body of the aircraft remained underwater several days after the crash, while recovery teams worked to retrieve wreckage and the remains of the victims.
The Ondo State Government deployed heavy-duty amphibious equipment, including swamp buggies, to support operations in the difficult terrain.
Military personnel and divers have also been involved in the recovery effort. However, the conditions at the site have made access to the main wreckage difficult.
The crash site has also raised environmental concerns, with reports of aviation fuel on the water and difficulties associated with recovering human remains.
Navy Deploys Sonar Equipment
The Nigerian Navy has deployed specialised sonar equipment to help locate the submerged aircraft and map the underwater crash site.
The Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, directed the Nigerian Navy Hydrographic Department to send personnel and advanced sonar-scanning equipment to support the operation.
The deployment was intended to provide investigators and recovery teams with a clearer picture of the wreckage location, particularly because poor underwater visibility has hindered efforts.
The recovery of the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder is expected to provide important evidence for the ongoing investigation. However, the cause of the crash has not yet been established, and investigators are continuing efforts to locate the devices and examine the wreckage.