Thirty-two people are feared dead after a military aircraft crashed in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The aircraft, an ATR-42 operated by the Nigerian military, was travelling from Benin to Lagos when it crashed close to the Naval Base in Igbokoda on Monday.
Sources said all 32 people on board were believed to have died in the crash. The passengers and crew reportedly comprised 25 passengers and seven crew members.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, had earlier confirmed that 25 passengers and seven crew members were aboard the aircraft.
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Keyamo said Air Traffic Controllers informed him that the aircraft, with registration number NGR 931, had disappeared from radar while travelling from Benin to Lagos.
According to him, the aircraft was last in communication at about 9:13am, after which repeated attempts to contact it were unsuccessful.
He later confirmed that the aircraft had crashed near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, the headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area.
The minister said the wreckage had been located while search and rescue operations were ongoing.
The Nigerian Air Force also confirmed the incident, saying the ATR-42 aircraft crashed in the Igbokoda area during a routine mission from Benin to Lagos.
The NAF said it immediately commenced search and rescue operations in collaboration with relevant authorities and emergency response agencies.
However, authorities had yet to officially confirm the reported death toll at the time of filing the report.
The cause of the crash also remained unknown, while investigations and rescue efforts continued.
Igbokoda is a riverine community and commercial centre in Ilaje, one of Ondo State’s oil-producing areas.
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