ONDO, NIGERIA: All 32 people aboard a Nigerian Air Force aircraft are believed to have died after the military plane crashed near Igbokoda in Ondo State, Nigeria, on Monday.

The aircraft, an ATR-42, was travelling from Benin to Lagos on a routine military mission when it crashed near a naval base in the Igbokoda area.

Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has expressed his condolences to the families of those on board and ordered a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash.

According to Nigeria’s Aviation Minister, Festus Keyamo, air traffic controllers lost contact with the aircraft at about 09:13 local time after attempts to establish radio contact failed.

The wreckage was subsequently located close to the Naval Base in Igbokoda, prompting search-and-rescue operations involving the Nigerian Air Force and other emergency agencies.

Preliminary information indicated that 25 passengers and seven crew members were aboard the aircraft, bringing the total number of people on board to 32.

In a statement, President Tinubu said the crash was a painful moment for Nigeria’s armed forces and the country.

He said Air Force personnel put their lives on the line every day in service of the nation and ordered the Nigerian Air Force to immediately investigate the cause of the crash to prevent similar incidents in future.

The President also commended the Nigerian Air Force for activating search-and-rescue operations and praised first responders and the Ondo State Government for their response at the crash site.

The aircraft reportedly disappeared from radar before the wreckage was located near the naval base.

The circumstances surrounding the crash remain under investigation.

Authorities are expected to provide further information regarding the identities of those who died and the circumstances that led to the aircraft going down.

The Nigerian Air Force has urged the public to rely on official information as investigations and recovery operations continue.

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