The Nigerian Air Force says all 25 people aboard an ATR-42 aircraft died when it crashed near Igbokoda. The cause remains under investigation.
A Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft crashed near Igbokoda, Ondo State, on Monday, October 5, killing all 25 people on board, the Air Force said.
The aircraft, identified as NAF 931, was travelling from Benin City to Lagos on what the Air Force described as a routine mission. Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo said air traffic controllers lost contact with it at about 9:13 a.m. local time. The wreckage was later located near a naval base in Igbokoda.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Air Force said there were five crew members and 20 passengers aboard, and that no one survived. It released the names of those on board, including military personnel and civilians.
The casualty figure changed after the crash. On Monday, the Aviation Ministry and the Presidency said 32 people were aboard—25 passengers and seven crew members. The Air Force’s later statement put the total at 25. The Air Force has not publicly explained the difference.
President Bola Tinubu ordered an investigation and declared three days of national mourning, directing that flags be flown at half-mast across the country. The Air Force said its Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, had also directed a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances of the crash.
As of Wednesday, October 7, authorities had not announced a cause. The aircraft type and reported route are confirmed; claims about what caused the crash remain unverified pending the investigation.
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