Tragedy struck Nigeria’s military on Monday as a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) ATR-42 aircraft crashed in the Igbokoda area of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, killing all 32 people on board.
The aircraft, which had 25 passengers and seven crew members aboard, was on a routine mission from Benin City in Edo State to Lagos when it crashed near the Naval Base in Igbokoda.
The Nigerian Air Force confirmed that the aircraft belonged to the service and said an immediate search-and-rescue operation was activated following the accident.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, had earlier disclosed that air traffic controllers lost contact with the military aircraft at about 9:13 a.m. on Monday.
According to Keyamo, all efforts to establish radio contact with the aircraft proved unsuccessful before information was received that it had crashed close to the Naval Base in Igbokoda.
He said the wreckage was subsequently located and emergency responders moved to the area.
The Nigerian Air Force later identified the aircraft as an ATR-42, stating that it was conducting a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when the accident occurred.
Initial reports had indicated that search-and-rescue operations were underway and that the number of casualties had not immediately been established.
However, subsequent confirmation from the Presidency stated that all 32 persons aboard the aircraft were killed.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu expressed profound sadness over the crash and condoled with the families of the victims, the Chief of the Air Staff and the entire Nigerian Air Force.
The President also directed the Nigerian Air Force to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash, with a view to determining what went wrong and preventing a recurrence.
“This is a painful moment for our Armed Forces and for the entire nation,” the President said, according to a statement from the State House.
Tinubu also commended the Nigerian Air Force for immediately activating search-and-rescue efforts and praised first responders and the Ondo State Government for their response at the crash site.
Three Days National Mourning
Following the tragedy, President Tinubu declared three days of national mourning in honour of the Air Force personnel who lost their lives in the crash.
He directed that the Nigerian flag be flown at half-mast throughout the country during the mourning period.
The President said the sacrifice of Nigerian military personnel who put their lives on the line in the service of the country would not be forgotten.
Crash Site
The aircraft came down in the Igbokoda area of Ilaje Local Government Area, a coastal part of Ondo State. The crash site was located close to a naval facility, with reports indicating that parts of the aircraft came down in a swampy and difficult-to-access area.
Local residents reportedly heard a loud sound before the aircraft went down, while emergency responders and security agencies moved to the area to support the recovery operation.
The circumstances surrounding the crash remain under investigation, and authorities have not yet disclosed a definitive cause.
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) said the incident involved a military aircraft and therefore falls outside its statutory mandate for direct investigation unless it is formally invited by the military authorities.
The NAF has yet to release the names of all the deceased personnel publicly, with the Presidency stating that the Air Force would release the names after contacting their families.
The crash is one of the deadliest military aviation accidents recorded in Nigeria in recent years and has renewed attention on aviation safety and the risks faced by military personnel carrying out operational duties across the country.
Authorities are expected to release further details as the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash progresses.
NAF Plane Crash: 32 Killed As Military Aircraft Crashes In Ondo
