Nigeria Declares National Mourning After Military Plane Crash
The Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft went down Monday near a naval base in Igbokoda after air traffic controllers lost contact with the plane shortly after it departed from Benin City, according to Nigerian authorities.
The aircraft was traveling from Benin to Lagos, Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister Festus Keyamo said. The Nigerian Air Force said the flight was part of a routine military mission.
Preliminary information indicated that 25 passengers and seven crew members were aboard the aircraft when it crashed.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu later confirmed that Air Force personnel were among those who died in the incident and announced three days of mourning in their memory.
Tinubu also ordered national flags to be flown at half-mast throughout the country as Nigeria mourns the military personnel killed in the crash.
“This is a painful moment for our Armed Forces and for the entire nation,” Tinubu said in a statement.
Rescue efforts have faced difficulties because the aircraft came down in a swampy area close to the naval facility. Military personnel and emergency responders were joined by local fishermen in attempts to reach the crash site and recover those affected by the incident.
People living in the surrounding area reported seeing aircraft debris and personal belongings scattered around the site.
Authorities have begun investigating the circumstances that led to the crash, including the loss of communication with air traffic controllers shortly after the aircraft took off.
The Nigerian Air Force has not yet released the identities of the personnel who died. Officials said the names will be made public after the victims’ families have been notified.
The investigation is expected to determine what caused the aircraft to crash during the routine mission as rescue and recovery operations continue at the difficult-to-access site.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any
responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos,
licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues
related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
