NAF Recovers Intact Cockpit Voice Recorder From Igbokoda ATR-42 Crash
The Nigerian Air Force says technical teams have recovered the intact cockpit voice recorder from the ATR-42 aircraft that crashed near Igbokoda in Ondo State on 5 October 2026.
Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the Air Force’s Director of Public Relations and Information, said the recorder was confirmed intact by specialists from the NAF and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau. Investigators also retrieved part of the flight data recorder, while efforts continue to locate the remaining section.
The Air Force said teams working in difficult swamp terrain had recovered additional wreckage, engine components and human remains. Identification specialists are handling the remains, while officials continue to engage with victims’ families and local authorities over environmental concerns raised by the host community.
The ATR-42, tail number NAF 931, was travelling from Benin City to Lagos on a routine mission when contact was lost. The Air Force previously confirmed that all 25 people on board—20 passengers and five crew members—died.
The recovery of the cockpit voice recorder is an important step, but it does not by itself establish the cause of the crash. The investigation panel is expected to examine technical, operational, environmental, human and organisational factors before issuing findings.
Sources: Guardian Nigeria; Channels Television.
Featured image: Guardian Nigeria/NAF. Used for editorial reporting.
