The Nigerian Air Force aircraft that crashed in Igbokoda, Ondo State, on Monday is now feared to have killed all 32 people aboard, according to sources familiar with the incident.
The reported death toll comprises 25 passengers and seven crew members, the same number earlier disclosed by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo.
However, the Nigerian Air Force and other authorities had not officially confirmed the deaths of all 32 people at the time of filing this report.
The latest development comes only hours after ValidViewNetwork first reported the aircraft crash, when early information from Igbokoda indicated that several people were feared dead.
FROM INITIAL CONFUSION TO A DEADLY AIR CRASH
The incident initially generated confusion in Igbokoda, with early accounts describing the aircraft as a helicopter.
The Nigerian Air Force subsequently clarified that the aircraft was an ATR-42 belonging to the service.According to the NAF, the aircraft was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when it crashed in the Igbokoda area of Ilaje Local Government Area.
Keyamo later confirmed that the aircraft, with registration number NGR 931, disappeared from radar after air traffic controllers lost contact with it at about 9:13 a.m. The wreckage was subsequently located close to the Naval Base in Igbokoda.
SOURCES REPORT 32 DEATHS
Sources familiar with the incident reported that all 32 people aboard the aircraft were believed to have died. The report further stated that the information came after the wreckage had been located.
However, the report also acknowledged that authorities had yet to officially confirm the reported death toll.
That distinction remains critical in a developing aviation disaster.
ValidViewNetwork reports that eyewitnesses at the scene described seeing parts of the aircraft in or near a river, as well as debris, clothing and shoes.
At the time of its report, however, there was still no official confirmation of casualties.
SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATION
The NAF said it immediately activated a search and rescue operation after the crash.
Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, Director of Public Relations and Information of the Nigerian Air Force, said the operation was being conducted with relevant authorities and emergency response agencies.
The Ondo State Government has also directed state emergency and security agencies to provide logistical and human support to the operation.
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa ordered that the crash site be secured and cordoned off to allow emergency responders to work without interference. The governor also appealed to residents to remain calm and avoid circulating unverified information.
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At this stage, authorities have established several key facts. The aircraft was a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42. It was travelling between Benin and Lagos on a routine mission. It carried 25 passengers and seven crew members, according to preliminary information released by Keyamo.
Contact with the aircraft was lost at about 9:13 a.m. The wreckage was found near the Naval Base in Igbokoda. Search and rescue efforts were activated.
What has not yet been officially established is the final casualty figure and the identities of those aboard. The cause of the crash also remains unknown.
VALIDVIEWNETWORK’S DEVELOPING COVERAGE
ValidViewNetwork had earlier reported the initial crash after information emerged from Igbokoda that an aircraft had gone down and several people were feared dead.
Our subsequent update established, through official statements from the Federal Government and the Nigerian Air Force, that the aircraft was an NAF ATR-42 carrying 32 people, comprising 25 passengers and seven crew members.
The latest information now indicates that sources believe all 32 people aboard may have died.
ValidViewNetwork reports that while the source-based death toll is deeply concerning, the figure should remain “feared dead” or “reportedly killed” until the Nigerian Air Force or another competent authority formally confirms the fatalities.
The incident has already become one of the country’s most serious aviation tragedies of the day, and the priority remains the recovery and identification of those aboard, support for affected families and a full investigation into what caused the aircraft to crash.