Nigeria has ordered an immediate investigation into the crash of a military aircraft in Ondo State that killed all 32 people aboard.
The Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft was flying from Benin City to Lagos on a routine mission when air traffic controllers lost contact with the plane at 0813 GMT on Monday.
The wreckage was later located near the coastal town of Igbokoda in southwestern Ondo State, where search and rescue teams were deployed.
The aircraft was carrying 25 passengers and seven crew members. There were no survivors, according to President Bola Tinubu.
President Tinubu expressed “profound sadness” over the tragedy and extended condolences to the families of the victims.
Following a briefing from the Chief of Air Staff, the President directed the Nigerian Air Force to immediately investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash.
He said the investigation should establish the cause of the accident and help prevent similar incidents in the future.
Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo also confirmed that the aircraft had been on a routine flight between Benin City and Lagos before communication with air traffic controllers was lost.
The crash is among the deadliest aviation accidents recorded in Nigeria in recent years and is expected to prompt scrutiny of the aircraft’s operation and the circumstances leading to the loss of contact.
Authorities are yet to disclose further details on what caused the aircraft to crash.
