World

Military Plane Crash in Ondo State Claims 32 Lives

By Today News Hours Editorial Desk

President Bola Tinubu declared three days of national mourning after a military aircraft crashed in southern Ondo State, killing 32 people. The aircraft, an ATR‑42, was on a routine flight from Benin City to Lagos when it went down in a swamp near a naval base on Monday morning. Officials found the plane submerged and reported that clothes, shoes and smoke were visible at the site. Tinubu offered his deepest condolences for the 25 passengers and seven crew members on board and ordered a full investigation. He also directed that national flags be flown at half‑mast across the country. Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo said he had been informed of the disappearance of the aircraft, tail number NGR 931, at 0913 hours, and that search and rescue efforts were ongoing. The Nigerian Air Force has released the names of those killed, most of whom were military personnel. The crash is one of the deadliest air disasters in Nigeria in recent years, following earlier incidents in 2021 that claimed the lives of army chief Lt‑Gen Ibrahim Attahiru and seven others. The Air Force has been tasked with a thorough investigation to prevent similar incidents in the future.