‘All 32 Passengers, Crew Feared Dead In Ondo Military Aircraft Crash’

Thirty-two People are feared dead following the crash of a Nigeria Air Force (NAF) aircraft in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State on Monday.

The aircraft, an ATR-42, was carrying 25 passengers and seven crew members when it crashed near the Naval Base in Igbokoda while on a routine flight from Benin, Edo State, to Lagos.

Sources familiar with the incident told SaharaReporters that all 32 occupants were believed to have died in the crash.

“Thirty-two people died in the plane crash that occurred in Ondo State,” a source said.

Sources disclosed that all 32 people on board are believed to have died in the crash. However, authorities had yet to officially confirm the number of fatalities as of the time of filing this report.

Recall that the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, confirmed that 25 passengers and seven crew members were aboard the aircraft.

Keyamo said preliminary information indicated that 25 passengers and seven crew members were on board the aircraft when it crashed.

He said Air Traffic Controllers informed him that the military aircraft, with registration number NGR 931, travelling from Benin to Lagos, had disappeared from radar.

He said the aircraft was last in communication at about 9:13am.

The minister said subsequent information confirmed that the aircraft had crashed close to the Naval Base in Igbokoda, the headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area.

“The wreckage has been located and search and rescue operations are ongoing,” he added.

Keyamo said preliminary information indicated that there were 25 passengers and seven crew members aboard the aircraft.

He also clarified that the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) have no regulatory control over military aircraft.

“Whilst the control and regulation of military aircraft are completely outside the authority of the Ministry of Aviation, and Civil Aviation Authority, I have just spoken to the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke and pledged our total cooperation and assistance in the search and rescue efforts ongoing,” he said.

He added that further information would be made available as authorities continued to establish the circumstances surrounding the crash.