A Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 transport plane came down on Monday in the Igbokoda area of Ondo State, in southwestern Nigeria. Reports put the number on board at 32, made up of 25 passengers and seven crew, and officials and witnesses say no survivors are expected.
The aircraft, tail number NGR 931, was on a routine flight from Benin to Lagos when air traffic controllers lost contact with it at about 9:13 a.m. (0813 GMT), according to Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo. He said later information showed it had crashed near the naval base at Igbokoda, the headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area.
The air force confirmed the accident and said it had launched search and rescue operations with other authorities and emergency agencies. Its spokesman, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said further details would follow. The service’s first statement did not give the number of people aboard or any casualty figures, and it corrected early reports that had described the aircraft as a helicopter.
Keyamo said military aircraft fall outside the control and regulation of his ministry and the civil aviation authority. He pledged full cooperation with the rescue effort.
A local eyewitness said he saw wreckage, human remains and personal belongings spread across a swampy area, with some bodies in the water. He said residents heard a loud noise like thunder before rushing to the site.
President Bola Tinubu offered condolences to the families of those on board and said he had ordered the air force to begin a thorough investigation into the cause. He also praised the swift response of rescuers and the Ondo State government. The state governor said he was in contact with air force leadership, local officials and security agencies at the scene.
The cause of the crash has not been established, and officials have not released the identities of those aboard.
