Nigerian Air Force Plane Crash Claims 25 Lives in Ondo State

On Tuesday, a Nigerian Air Force plane crashed into swampy waters in a coastal village in Ondo State, killing all 25 people aboard. This incident marks one of the deadliest air disasters in Nigeria in recent years.

Locals reported hearing a loud noise as the ATR-42 twin-engine turboprop aircraft went down near a naval base. Initially, officials reported a higher death toll of 32, but this was later corrected. The plane was on a routine flight from Benin City to Lagos.

Witnesses described the scene as chaotic. A villager named Akinte Omoteremi Toluwalase recalled seeing the plane engulfed in flames before it crashed. He and other villagers rushed to the site in boats, but by the time they arrived, the plane had sunk. They reported seeing human remains and debris floating in the water.

Another villager, Owoyemi Oluwadamilare, expressed his shock, stating he had never witnessed a plane crash before. The Nigerian Air Force confirmed that there were no survivors from the crash.

Recovery efforts are ongoing, but it remains unclear if any bodies have been retrieved. Felisia Michel, another villager, noted that the rescue team has been tirelessly working since the crash to recover those on board.

This crash is the deadliest in Nigeria in recent years. In May 2021, a military plane crash killed Nigeria’s top army commander and 10 others. In August 2015, another military plane crashed into a house, killing all seven people on board.

The United States embassy in Nigeria extended its condolences, stating it stands with the people of Nigeria during this tragic time.