Fatal Flight: 32 Lives Lost as Nigerian Military Aircraft Crashes in Ondo

A Nigerian military aircraft, identified as an ATR-42 with tail number NGR 931 (NAF 931), crashed in Ondo State on Monday. The incident occurred in Igbokoda, located in the Ilaje Local Government Area. Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, initially disclosed that there were 32 people on board the military aircraft, comprising 25 passengers and 7 crew members. The aircraft was on a routine mission, travelling from Benin, Edo State, to Lagos when it disappeared from air traffic control radar and radio contact at approximately 09:13 hours.

Subsequent information, including a statement from President Bola Tinubu's spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, indicated that all 32 individuals on board are believed to have died. President Tinubu expressed profound sadness over the crash, extending his deepest condolences to the families of the victims, the Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, and the entire Nigerian Air Force. He emphasized that the Air Force personnel put their lives on the line daily to secure Nigeria and that their sacrifice would not be forgotten.

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) confirmed the accident and promptly activated immediate search and rescue operations in coordination with relevant authorities and emergency response agencies. The wreckage was located close to the Naval Base in Igbokoda, in a swampy area. The Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Abayomi, also confirmed the crash, stating that details were still emerging and urged the public to remain calm and refrain from circulating unverified information.

President Tinubu has directed the Nigerian Air Force to immediately commence a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash to prevent future occurrences. He commended the NAF for its swift search and rescue activation and acknowledged the rapid response of first responders and the Ondo State Government at the crash site. The presidency's statement clarified that the victims were mostly military personnel.

The ATR-42 involved in the crash is a twin-engine turboprop aircraft, configured for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations, as well as maritime patrol, search-and-rescue, and limited transport duties. Nigeria operated two such ATR-42-500MP aircraft, NAF 930 and NAF 931, which were part of a contract signed with the Italian aerospace firm, Alenia Aeronautica, in March 2007. The aircraft, delivered in 2009 and 2010 respectively, are at least 16 years old. They are operated by the NAF’s 81 Air Maritime Group based in Benin City and have been deployed for various military operations, including in the North-east.

NAF 931, the aircraft involved in the Monday crash, had undergone major maintenance at the Rheinland Air Service (RAS) facility in Germany in 2022 and had only returned to Nigeria in late 2024. These aircraft are equipped with surveillance equipment, including search radar and electro-optical sensors, enabling intelligence gathering and monitoring over land and Nigeria’s maritime domain. Further information regarding the incident is expected to be released as the investigation progresses.