Nigeria is mourning after a military aircraft carrying passengers and crew plunged into a swamp in the country’s southwest, killing all 25 people aboard.
The Nigerian Air Force confirmed Tuesday that its ATR-42 aircraft, identified as NAF 931, crashed near Igbokoda in Ondo State while flying a routine mission from Benin City to Lagos on Monday, October 5.
There were 20 passengers and five crew members aboard the plane, and authorities said no survivors were found.
The confirmation cleared up confusion that followed the disaster after Nigerian officials initially reported a significantly higher death toll.
Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo said Monday that preliminary information indicated 32 people — 25 passengers and seven crew members — had been aboard. The Air Force later reviewed the manifest and announced that the actual number was 25.
President Bola Tinubu declared three days of national mourning following the crash and ordered flags across Nigeria to be flown at half-staff.
“This is a painful moment for our Armed Forces and for the entire nation,” Tinubu said.
“Our Air Force personnel put their lives on the line every day to secure Nigeria. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten.”
The president also directed the Nigerian Air Force to immediately launch a comprehensive investigation into what caused the aircraft to go down.
The plane had been traveling from Benin City toward Lagos when officials lost contact with it Monday morning.
Attempts to reach the aircraft by radio were unsuccessful, according to Keyamo. Search-and-rescue teams were mobilized, and the wreckage was eventually located in a swampy area near a Nigerian naval base in Igbokoda.
The aircraft was reportedly partially submerged in water, complicating efforts at the scene.
Images from the crash area showed pieces of wreckage being recovered from the water as emergency workers and local officials searched the surrounding swamp.
Residents described a disturbing scene following the impact.
Witnesses reported hearing a loud noise before the crash, while clothing, shoes and other debris were reportedly discovered near the wreckage. Smoke was also seen rising from the area after the plane went down.
The Nigerian Air Force has since released the names of all 25 victims.
The five crew members included the flight captain, two co-pilots and two aircraft technicians. The passenger list included numerous military officers and enlisted personnel as well as several civilians.
At least 19 of those aboard were identified by military rank.
Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke described the crash as a deeply painful loss for both the Air Force and the country and promised support for the victims’ families.
Officials have not announced a suspected cause.
The Air Force is urging the public to avoid speculation while investigators examine the wreckage and circumstances surrounding the aircraft’s final moments.
The ATR-42 is a twin-engine turboprop aircraft that has been adapted for a variety of military roles. Nigeria has used the aircraft for missions including transportation, reconnaissance and surveillance.
Monday’s disaster is among the deadliest crashes involving Nigeria’s military aviation fleet in decades.
Nigeria has suffered several other deadly military aircraft accidents in recent years.
In May 2021, Nigerian Army chief Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru was killed along with 10 other military personnel when an aircraft crashed near Kaduna International Airport during bad weather.
Only months earlier, in February 2021, seven people were killed when a Nigerian Air Force aircraft crashed near Abuja shortly after reporting an engine problem.
The latest tragedy comes as the Nigerian Air Force remains heavily involved in security operations across the country, including missions targeting armed groups and supporting troops fighting insurgencies and other violence.
For now, investigators will focus on determining why NAF 931 suddenly lost contact during what officials described as a routine flight.
Tinubu said finding the cause will be critical to preventing another tragedy.
Across Nigeria, the three days of mourning are intended to honor those killed as their families, colleagues and the country’s armed forces grapple with the loss.
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