There were no survivors among 25 people on board a Nigerian Air Force plane that crashed Monday in southern Nigeria’s Ondo state, officials said.
The ATR-42 aircraft crashed while carrying 20 passengers and five crew members on a routine mission to Lagos, the nation’s economic hub, the air force said in a statement Tuesday.
The plane disappeared from radar and was later found to have crashed close to a naval base in the riverside town of Igbokoda in Ondo state, officials said.
Nigeria’s Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo previously said the aircraft was carrying 32 people. Officials did not immediately clarify the difference in the two accounts.
Nigerian Chief of the Air Staff Sunday Kelvin Aneke described the accident as “a deeply painful moment for the Nigerian Air Force and the nation” and assured the bereaved families of the agency’s full support.
Nigeria President Bola Tinubu declared three days of mourning and directed flags to be flown at half-mast throughout the country to mourn the victims.
“I have directed the Nigerian Air Force to immediately commence a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash to prevent future occurrences,” Tinubu said in a statement.
The extent of the damage and cause of the accident remained unclear Tuesday.
The ATR-42 is often used by the Nigerian military for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and for transporting personnel and supplies.
Local residents told The Associated Press the aircraft crashed near a river and was partially sinking in the water.
Videos posted online that appeared to be from the accident scene showed people gathered by a river as rescuers attempted to reach the area.
“We heard something like a thunder strike,” witness Akinbulejo Pius said, adding that the plane “cleared some trees” before crashing.
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