32 killed as Nigerian Air Force aircraft crashes in Ondo

All 32 people aboard a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft were killed when it crashed in southwestern Nigeria’s Ondo State on Monday (October 5).

The aircraft, carrying 25 passengers and seven crew members, was travelling from Benin City to Lagos on a routine mission when air traffic controllers lost contact with it at 8:13am GMT, Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo said.

The wreckage was later found near the coastal town of Igbokoda, close to a naval base in Ondo State, prompting search and rescue operations.

President Bola Tinubu confirmed that there were no survivors and expressed condolences to the families of those killed.

Tinubu ordered the Nigerian Air Force to immediately launch a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash and take steps to prevent similar accidents in the future.

The Nigerian Air Force said the ATR-42 was on a routine mission when the accident occurred and that it had activated a search and rescue operation in coordination with relevant authorities and emergency agencies.

The crash is one of Nigeria’s deadliest aviation accidents in recent years.