Nigerian military aircraft crashes, killing 32

Live updates

1. 1h ago

   Nigerian Military Aircraft Crash Kills 32 in Ondo State

   A Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 transport aircraft crashed on Monday in a swampy creek in southwestern Ondo state, killing all 32 people on board. The flight was traveling from Benin City to Lagos on a routine mission when air traffic controllers lost contact and the plane vanished from radar shortly after takeoff. President Bola Tinubu confirmed there were no survivors and declared three days of national mourning, while ordering an immediate military investigation into the disaster.

   Why it matters

   The crash ranks among the deadliest air disasters in Nigeria in recent years, prompting rescue operations near the Naval Base in Igbokoda. Ondo Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa stated that the pilot maneuvered the ill-fated aircraft away from populated areas before it hit the swamp, preventing a larger catastrophe. Local residents discovered body parts and clothes at the crash site as search operations for the wreckage continued.

   What is confirmed

   • A Nigerian military plane flying from Benin City to Lagos crashed on Monday in southwestern Ondo state, killing 32 people.
   • President Bola Tinubu declared three days of national mourning and confirmed there were no survivors.
   • The aircraft was an ATR-42 transport plane on a routine mission that vanished from radar shortly after departure.
   • Festus Keyamo stated the aircraft crashed close to the Naval Base in Igbokoda, Ondo State.

   Still unconfirmed

   • Locals found body parts and clothes at the crash site.
   • Mike Ejiofor, president of the Alumni Association of the National Institute for Security Studies, questioned the mission of the NAF aircraft.

   What to watch next

   • Findings and official reports from the Nigerian Air Force probe ordered by President Bola Tinubu
   • Recovery and identification of all victims' remains from the Igbokoda swamp site
   Sources used for this update (22)

   1. reuters.com — Nigerian military aircraft crashes, killing 32
   2. The New York Times — Nigeria Military Helicopter Crashes With 32 Onboard
   3. dw.com — Nigerian military plane carrying 32 people crashes, prompting rescue operation
   4. Al Jazeera — Nigeria launches rescue after military plane crashes with 32 aboard
   5. Channels Television — Tinubu Declares Three-Day National Mourning Over Ondo Military Aircraft Crash
   6. Punch Newspapers — Many feared dead as helicopter crashes in Ondo
   7. Punch Newspapers — Ondo air crash: NAF plane vanished from radar shortly after take-off
   8. BBC — Nigeria military plane crash: Bola Tinubu declares three days of mourning as 32 killed
   9. BBC — Nigerian Air Force release names of crew members and passengers wey die for Ondo State plane crash
   10. WRAL — Nigerian Air Force says plane carrying 25 crashed with no survivors in southern Ondo state
   11. www.bbc.com — Nigeria military plane crash: Bola Tinubu declares three days of mourning as 32 killed
   12. www.thestandard.com.hk — Nigerian military aircraft crashes, killing 32 - The Standard
   confidence 95%