Key facts
- A Nigerian military helicopter crashed on Monday near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, Ondo State.
- The aircraft was carrying 25 passengers and seven crew members.
- The helicopter was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos.
- Air Traffic Controllers lost contact with the aircraft at approximately 9:13 a.m.
- The wreckage of the aircraft has been located.
- Search and rescue operations are ongoing.
A Nigerian military helicopter carrying 25 passengers and seven crew members crashed near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, Ondo State, on Monday. The aircraft, identified by tail number NGR 931, disappeared from radar while en route from Benin to Lagos at approximately 9:13 a.m. after efforts to re-establish radio communication proved unsuccessful.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, confirmed the crash, stating that the wreckage had been located. He noted that while the control and regulation of military aircraft fall outside the ministry's jurisdiction, he had spoken with the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, and pledged the ministry's full cooperation in the ongoing search and rescue efforts.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) also confirmed the accident, stating that an ATR-42 aircraft was involved and that an immediate search and rescue operation had been activated in coordination with relevant authorities and emergency response agencies. The cause of the crash is yet to be established. Local government chairman Maurice Oripelaye and Ondo State Police Command spokesman Jimoh Abayomi also confirmed the incident.