Abuja, Oct 06 (V7N)- A Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft crashed in Ondo State while travelling from Benin City to Lagos, killing all 25 people on board, according to the Nigerian Air Force.
The aircraft was carrying 20 passengers and five crew members when it crashed in the Igbokoda area of Ondo State on Monday. The Air Force later confirmed that no survivors were found.
The aircraft was reportedly on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos. Air traffic controllers lost contact with it at about 0813 GMT, after which the wreckage was located near Igbokoda.
Initial information from Nigeria's Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo had put the number of people aboard at 32, comprising 25 passengers and seven crew members. The Nigerian Air Force later reviewed the manifest and confirmed that 25 people had been on the aircraft.
President Bola Tinubu expressed condolences to the families of those killed and ordered a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash.
The Nigerian Air Force activated search and rescue operations immediately after the aircraft went missing. Emergency teams and other authorities were involved in efforts to locate the aircraft and account for those on board.
The crashed aircraft, identified as NAF 931, was an ATR-42 configured primarily for maritime patrol and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. The Nigerian Air Force operates two such aircraft.
The Defence Headquarters and Nigerian Air Force have ordered investigations into the accident to establish what caused the crash. Authorities have urged the public to rely on verified information while the investigation continues.
The incident is among Nigeria's most serious military aviation accidents in recent years and has prompted a national period of mourning for the personnel and passengers who died.
END/SMA/AJ
