The federal government has confirmed the crash of a military aircraft in the Igbokoda area of Ondo State, with 32 people on board.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft, with registration number NGR 931, crashed close to the Naval Base in Igbokoda after it disappeared while flying from Benin to Lagos.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.
Keyamo said the aircraft went missing at about 9:13 a.m. after air traffic controllers could not establish radio contact with it.
He said the authorities were later informed that the aircraft had crashed and that the wreckage had been located.
Search and rescue operations are currently ongoing at the crash site.
“Preliminary information suggests that there were 25 passengers and seven crew members on board,” the minister said.
The minister explained that the control and regulation of military aircraft do not fall under the responsibility of the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development or the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
He, however, said he had spoken with the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, over the incident.
Keyamo said the ministry would provide its “total cooperation and assistance” to support the ongoing search and rescue operation.
“Further information on this unfortunate incident will be made available subsequently,” he added.
