Ondo NAF Plane Crash: 32 Feared Dead as Aircraft Crashes Near Igbokoda Naval Base

A Nigerian Air Force aircraft has crashed into a swamp near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, Ondo State, with 32 people on board feared dead.

The ATR-42 aircraft, with tail number NGR 931, was travelling from Benin to Lagos on a routine military mission when air traffic controllers lost contact with it at about 9:13am on Monday. The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, said the aircraft had 25 passengers and seven crew members on board.

The Nigerian Air Force said it immediately launched a search and rescue operation in coordination with emergency agencies and other relevant authorities. The wreckage was located in a swampy area opposite the Naval Base, while military equipment was also reportedly recovered from the site.

Details about the passengers remained unclear as authorities worked to establish their identities. Sources said some civilians, including family members of military personnel and children returning to school, were among those on board the flight, which was reportedly also used to transport families of service personnel.

Local residents described hearing a loud sound before discovering the crash site. The Olu of Igbokoda, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo, said the aircraft came down in a waterlogged swamp and that a substantial portion of the wreckage was submerged. He said there were fears that there might be no survivors, although authorities had not issued a final confirmation of the death toll at the time of the initial response.

There were conflicting early accounts about what may have caused the crash. The Ilaje Local Government chairman, Maurice Oripelaye, attributed the incident to poor weather and said the pilot was attempting to manoeuvre before the aircraft went down. However, the police said investigations were still at an early stage, while the Nigerian Air Force had not announced a cause.

President Bola Tinubu expressed condolences to the families of those on board and ordered the Nigerian Air Force to conduct a thorough investigation into the crash. He also directed continued search and rescue efforts, while Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa ordered state emergency and health agencies to support the operation and ensure the crash site was secured.

The incident has triggered mourning across the country as emergency teams continue efforts at the difficult swampy crash site. Authorities have urged residents to remain calm and avoid spreading unverified information while investigations and recovery operations continue.