Nigerian military aircraft with 32 aboard crashes in Ondo state

Mixed · 2A Nigerian military aircraft carrying 25 passengers and seven crew members crashed in southern Nigeria on Monday 5 October, authorities said. 1 2 Centre · 1Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo said the aircraft, an ATR-42 on a routine mission to Lagos, came down in the Igbokoda area of Ondo state. 1 Left · 3The flight was travelling from Benin City in Edo state, according to Al Jazeera and AFP, and Keyamo said it crashed about midway into the trip to Lagos. 3 4 5

Right · 1In a statement, Keyamo said air traffic controllers lost contact with the aircraft at 0813 GMT and could not re-establish communication before its disappearance was reported. 2 Left · 2Al Jazeera put the loss of contact at 09:13 local time (0813 GMT), with repeated radio attempts failing; The Independent said Keyamo reported the aircraft disappearing from radar at around 9 am local time. 3 5 Mixed · 2The wreckage was later located near a naval base in the coastal town of Igbokoda, and search and rescue operations were under way; the Nigerian Air Force said an immediate search and rescue operation had begun. 2 1

Mixed · 2There was no immediate confirmation of casualties, and it was unclear how badly the aircraft was damaged. 2 1 Mixed · 2Air force spokesman Ehimen Ejodame said search and rescue operations were being coordinated with relevant authorities and emergency agencies, and Keyamo said he had spoken with Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke and offered the ministry's "total cooperation and assistance". 4 3 Centre · 1A video circulating on social media, cited by AFP, showed a small crowd near a river as rescuers searched the area by boat. 4

Right · 1Reuters, carried by the Straits Times, described it as one of Nigeria's worst military aviation accidents in recent years and said it is likely to intensify scrutiny of flight safety and operational readiness as authorities investigate the cause; the cause has not been stated. 2