Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has confirmed the crash of a military aircraft near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.
Keyamo, in a statement, said Air Traffic Controllers earlier informed him of the disappearance of the military aircraft, with tail number NGR 931, while en route from Benin to Lagos at about 9:13 this morning.
He said efforts to establish radio contact with the aircraft proved unsuccessful before information later confirmed that it had crashed close to the Naval Base in Igbokoda.
The Minister said the wreckage has been located, while search and rescue operations are ongoing.
According to preliminary information, 25 passengers and seven crew members were on board the aircraft.
Keyamo said although the control and regulation of military aircraft are outside the authority of the Ministry of Aviation and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, he had spoken with the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, and pledged the ministry’s total cooperation and assistance in the ongoing search and rescue operation.
He said further information on the incident would be made available subsequently.
