A Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft crashed in Ondo State, in southwestern Nigeria, on Monday, October 5, 2026. All 32 people on board died. President Bola Tinubu confirmed there were no survivors, ordered an investigation and declared three days of national mourning.
The aircraft was on a routine domestic mission from Benin City, in Edo State, to Lagos. Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo said it carried 25 passengers and seven crew members. Air traffic controllers lost contact at about 09:13 local time (08:13 GMT) and could not get back in touch. The wreckage was later found near a naval base in Igbokoda, a coastal community in the Ilaje area of Ondo State. Search and rescue teams were sent to the site.
The Air Force confirmed the aircraft type and route. It said a search and rescue operation had begun right away. The plane belongs to the Air Force's 107 Air Maritime Group. The ATR-42 is a twin-engine turboprop widely used on regional routes and in military transport.
Tinubu said he felt profound sadness. He announced three days of national mourning for the Air Force personnel who died. Keyamo described the numbers on board as preliminary information.
The cause of the crash is not known. Officials have not said whether the crew sent a distress call before contact was lost. The Air Force is leading its own inquiry. The Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) is expected to take part, though that depends on the conditions that apply to investigating military accidents.
Investigators will look at the flight recorders, if they are recovered, along with maintenance records, weather data and air traffic control communications. These checks usually take time.
The military has not released a list of the dead. It is not clear how many passengers were Air Force personnel, and whether any civilians were on board. Families are waiting for details while the country observes the mourning period.
Nigeria has had several military and civilian air accidents over the years, and each new crash draws close attention to safety and maintenance. The findings of this inquiry may affect how the military maintains its aircraft, trains crews and oversees flights.
