A Nigerian military ATR-42 aircraft crashed in Ondo State in south-western Nigeria on 5 October, killing all 32 people on board in one of the country's deadliest aviation disasters in recent years.

The aircraft was carrying 25 passengers and seven crew members while operating a routine flight from Benin City to Lagos when it went down near the coastal town of Igbokoda in Ondo State.

According to Nigerian authorities, air traffic controllers lost contact with the aircraft at 0813 GMT. Repeated attempts to re-establish radio communication proved unsuccessful before the aircraft was later confirmed to have crashed.

The wreckage was subsequently located near a naval base in Igbokoda, prompting the deployment of search and rescue teams to the accident site.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu later confirmed that there were no survivors and expressed profound sadness over the tragedy, extending condolences to the families of the victims and to the Nigerian Air Force.

The President stated that he had been briefed by the Chief of Air Staff and had directed the Nigerian Air Force to launch an immediate and comprehensive investigation into the cause of the crash in order to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo said the aircraft, identified by tail number NGR 931, disappeared during its journey from Benin City to Lagos before investigators confirmed that it had crashed near Igbokoda.

The Nigerian Air Force confirmed that the ATR-42 had been flying a routine mission when the accident occurred and said emergency responders and relevant authorities were mobilised immediately following the loss of contact.

The crash represents one of Nigeria's most serious aviation tragedies in recent years and has renewed attention on military aviation safety as investigators begin examining the circumstances that led to the loss of the aircraft.

Authorities have not yet disclosed the cause of the accident, and a formal investigation is expected to examine flight operations, communications records and technical factors surrounding the crash.

Agencies