Three Weeks After Ondo Plane Crash, Families Mourn Lack of Recovered Bodies

Three weeks after a Nigerian Air Force aircraft plunged into a waterlogged mangrove forest in Ondo State, grieving families report that not a single body of the 25 victims has been recovered or presented for proper identification and burial.

The military transport flight, designated as NAF 931, went down on the morning of October 6, 2026, roughly nine minutes after taking off from Benin Airport. Carrying twenty passengers and five crew members, the aircraft was headed toward Lagos following an overnight stopover prompted by an engine malfunction detected while traveling from Abuja.

In the weeks following the tragic incident, relatives of those on board have expressed deep frustration regarding what they describe as a lack of communication from military authorities. Family members note that no formal briefings have been provided concerning the status of the recovery operations, leaving loved ones without answers or closure.

Recovery efforts in the dense Obe-Rebby swamp near Igbokoda have faced significant logistical challenges due to the terrain. While local divers and fishermen initially mobilized to assist at the crash site, security personnel subsequently restricted access to the area, citing the deployment of specialized military extraction teams.

Questions have also been raised about the operational history of the aircraft involved. Records indicate the plane was part of a maritime patrol fleet that had frequently transported civilian passengers and government officials, drawing scrutiny regarding flight clearance protocols ahead of the fatal journey.

Source reporting: Sahara Reporters — 2026-10-27 19:23:13