Breaking: Ministry of Aviation Speaks as Aircraft Carrying Dozens of Passengers Crashes in Ondo
- Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo confirmed that a military aircraft disappeared from radar while flying from Benin to Lagos on Monday, October 5
- The aircraft, with tail number NGR 931, crashed near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, Ondo State, with 25 passengers and 7 crew members on board
- Keyamo said he spoke with the Chief of Air Staff and pledged full cooperation as search and rescue operations continue at the crash site
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Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over eight years of experience covering metro, government policies and international affairs.
Igbokoda, Ondo State - Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister Festus Keyamo confirmed on Monday afternoon, October 5, that a military aircraft carrying 32 people crashed in Ondo State.
Keyamo disclosed the incident through a post on his verified X account, saying Air Traffic Controllers first alerted him after the aircraft, bearing tail number NGR 931, vanished from contact at 9:13 a.m. while on a flight from Benin to Lagos. All attempts to reach the crew by radio failed.
Ondo: Keyamo pledges support for rescue
Later information confirmed the aircraft went down close to the Naval Base in Igbokoda, Ondo State. Preliminary reports put the number of people on board at 32, made up of 25 passengers and seven crew members. The wreckage has since been found, and search and rescue teams are active at the site.
Keyamo noted that military aircraft fall outside the jurisdiction of his ministry and the civil aviation authority. He stated that he reached out directly to the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, and committed the ministry's full support to the ongoing rescue operation.
The minister added that more details would be released as the situation develops.
Read Minister Keyamo’s full statement on the Ondo air crash in the X post below:
Source: Getty Images
The Ondo Government had not issued a statement on the crash in Ilaje area of the state as of the time of this report.
Non-commercial air accidents involving military aircraft, helicopters, private jets, or training flights are relatively rare in Nigeria, with only occasional incidents recorded over recent years. The Igbokoda crash, however, has prompted a swift mobilisation of emergency resources, with the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) working alongside other response agencies on the ground.
More to follow...
Source: Legit.ng
