The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has launched a search and rescue operation following the crash of an ATR-42 military aircraft in the Igbokoda area of Ondo State.
The aircraft, with tail number NGR 931, was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when air traffic controllers lost contact with it at about 9:13 a.m. on Sunday. The wreckage was subsequently located near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, with NAF and other emergency agencies coordinating the rescue operation.
NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said efforts were ongoing to ensure the success of the search and rescue operation. The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, also confirmed the incident and said he had spoken with the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, to pledge the ministry’s cooperation.
Keyamo said preliminary information indicated that 25 passengers and seven crew members were aboard the aircraft. He clarified that military aircraft are outside the regulatory control of the Ministry of Aviation and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, while assuring that further information on the incident would be released as it becomes available.
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