Ondo: A major aviation tragedy struck southwestern Nigeria on Monday after an air force plane crashed in Ondo State, leaving all 32 individuals on board feared dead. The aircraft, an ATR-42 belonging to the Nigerian Air Force, was carrying 25 passengers and seven crew members when it came down near the coastal area of Igbokoda. Authorities reported that there were no signs of survivors as emergency responders deployed boats to conduct search-and-recovery operations in the surrounding waterways.
According to aviation officials, the aircraft departed Benin City on a routine flight en route to Lagos. Contact with air traffic controllers was lost at approximately 8:13 a.m. GMT, shortly before the plane came down. Local residents near the crash site described hearing an intense blast that was initially mistaken for thunder before emergency crews rushed to the riverbanks to secure the wreckage.
Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu confirmed the crash and extended his deep condolences to the bereaved families, describing the incident as an immense loss for the nation and its armed forces. In response to the tragedy, the presidency directed the air force command to launch an immediate and thorough investigation to determine the exact technical or environmental causes behind the fatal crash.
