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ABUJA — Nigeria has declared three days of national mourning after a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 crashed near Igbokoda in Ondo State, killing all 32 people aboard.
President Bola Tinubu ordered flags across the country to fly at half-mast after the October 5 crash and directed the Nigerian Air Force to begin a thorough investigation into what caused the aircraft to go down.
The State House said the aircraft was carrying 25 passengers and seven crew members on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when it crashed near a naval base in the Igbokoda area. The President expressed condolences to the victims’ families and the wider Air Force community.
What happened to the aircraft
The ATR-42 disappeared from air-traffic tracking during the flight and was later located in the Igbokoda area. Search-and-rescue teams and other emergency agencies were activated after the aircraft went down.
Reuters reported that the aircraft crashed in Ondo State after air-traffic controllers lost contact with it at about 08:13 GMT. The official Nigerian account confirmed the 25-passenger, seven-crew count and said the mission was a routine flight from Benin to Lagos.
Investigation ordered
Tinubu has instructed the Air Force to investigate the cause of the crash and identify measures that could help prevent another accident. The names of the personnel who died are expected to be released after their families have been contacted.
The incident is one of the most serious recent aviation tragedies involving Nigeria’s armed forces and comes as the military continues to depend on fixed-wing aircraft for surveillance, transport and other operations.
National mourning
The three-day mourning period is intended to honour the officers and personnel who died while serving. Government buildings and institutions have been directed to observe the half-mast flag protocol during the period.
Authorities have urged the public to rely on official statements as the investigation proceeds. The cause of the crash has not been established publicly.
Source notes: This report is based on statements from Nigeria’s State House and reporting by Reuters and The Associated Press.
