Nigeria is mourning the deaths of 32 people after a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft crashed in Ondo State during a flight from Benin City to Lagos. The accident occurred on October 5, with the aircraft disappearing from communication before the wreckage was later found near Igbokoda.
The aircraft was carrying 25 passengers and seven crew members when it went down in the southern part of Ondo State. Nigerian authorities launched search and rescue efforts after losing contact with the aircraft, with emergency and military teams subsequently reaching the crash area.
The Nigerian Air Force confirmed that the aircraft had been conducting a routine mission. The ATR-42 platform has been used by the Nigerian military for transport and operational duties, including surveillance and reconnaissance missions. The circumstances surrounding its final moments remain under investigation.
President Bola Tinubu has directed the Nigerian Air Force to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the accident. He also conveyed his condolences to the families of the victims, while authorities continue the process of identifying those who died and informing their relatives.
No official cause has yet been established for the crash. Investigators are expected to examine the wreckage and available aircraft and flight information to determine what caused the ATR-42 to lose contact and ultimately crash.
The Nigerian government has declared three days of national mourning following the disaster. Flags are being flown at half-mast as a mark of respect for the military personnel and other occupants who lost their lives.
The crash has raised renewed attention on Nigeria’s military aviation operations and the importance of determining the factors behind the accident. The findings of the investigation could provide critical information about the aircraft’s condition, its flight and the circumstances that led to the crash.
As recovery and investigative work continues, Nigerian authorities are expected to release further information as it becomes available. For now, the focus remains on supporting the victims’ families and establishing the facts behind the deadly military aviation accident.
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