A Nigerian Air Force aircraft carrying 32 people crashed on Monday near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area in Ondo State. Search and rescue teams are at the scene.
The aircraft, tail number NGR 931, had 25 passengers and seven crew members on board, according to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo. The fate of those on board has not been officially confirmed.
In a statement, Keyamo said air traffic controllers informed him that the aircraft disappeared at 9:13 a.m. while flying from Benin to Lagos.
“All efforts to raise the aircraft on radio proved abortive,” he said. “Subsequently information however confirmed that the military aircraft has crashed close to the Naval Base in Igbokoda, Ondo State. The wreckage has been located and search and rescue operations are ongoing.”
Keyamo said military aviation falls outside the authority of his ministry and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority. He added that he had spoken with the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, and “pledged our total cooperation and assistance in the search and rescue efforts ongoing.”
The Nigerian Air Force identified the plane as an ATR-42. Its spokesperson, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said it was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when it crashed. The Air Force has launched an immediate search and rescue operation with other authorities and emergency agencies.
Early reports had described the aircraft as a helicopter. The plane came down on Monday morning in a swampy area opposite the naval base, causing panic among residents of the coastal community.
The chairman of Ilaje LGA, Maurice Oripelaye, told journalists that military equipment had been recovered at the site and that the aircraft had been destroyed by fire.
The Ondo State Police Command confirmed the crash and urged residents of Igbokoda and nearby communities to stay calm and avoid spreading unverified information.
The crash site may be difficult to reach. The Igbokoda area has extensive waterways and swampy terrain, which could hamper rescue teams. The cause of the crash has not been established.
A history of military air disasters
Monday’s crash is the latest in a series of deadly accidents involving Nigerian Air Force aircraft.
In February 2021, a Beechcraft King Air B350i crashed near Abuja airport after reporting engine failure on its way to Minna, killing all seven people on board.
Three months later, in May 2021, another Air Force King Air 350i crashed near Kaduna International Airport, killing all 11 occupants. Among them was the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru.
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