Lagos: Government officials stated on Tuesday that 32 people died when a light aircraft belonging to the Nigerian Air Force crashed.
They confirmed that there were no survivors in the tragedy. They added that the Air Force has been instructed to conduct an immediate, comprehensive investigation to determine the exact cause of the accident.
The aircraft was traveling from Benin City to Lagos. Officials reported that the 32 fatalities included 25 passengers and seven crew members. The accident occurred near Igbokoda in Ondo State, a coastal oil-producing region in southern Nigeria.
The plane crashed into a swampy area near a nearby naval base. It went down around 9:00 AM while on a routine flight from Benin City to Lagos, the country’s major economic hub.
The crashed aircraft has been identified as a twin-engine turboprop ATR-42, which typically has a capacity to carry between 30 and 50 passengers. Locals reported hearing a loud, thunder-like noise at the time of the crash.
Rescue teams reached the site by boat after fishermen working in the swampy area alerted the local naval base. Describing the situation at the crash site, locals reported that the aircraft went down near the river and some of its wreckage is submerged in the water; shoes, slippers, clothing, and body parts were found on the riverbank.