All 32 people aboard a Nigerian Air Force aircraft have been confirmed dead after the plane crashed in southwestern Nigeria’s Ondo State on Monday.
The ATR-42 military aircraft was travelling on a routine mission from Benin City to Lagos when air traffic controllers lost contact with it. Officials said the aircraft was carrying 25 passengers and seven crew members. Its wreckage was later located near the coastal town of Igbokoda, close to a naval base.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu confirmed there were no survivors and expressed condolences to the families of those killed. He directed the Nigerian Air Force to begin a full investigation into the cause of the crash, which has not yet been officially established.
The accident is one of Nigeria’s deadliest aviation disasters in recent years. The ATR-42 involved was used by the Nigerian Air Force for missions including maritime patrol, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.
News as Reported.
