A Nigerian military aircraft carrying 32 people crashed in Ondo state on Monday, killing all 25 passengers and seven crew members on board.The Nigerian Air Force identified the aircraft as an ATR-42, a twin-engine turboprop configured for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions.The aircraft was flying from Benin City in Edo state to Lagos when air traffic controllers lost contact with it at about 9.13 am local time. The wreckage was later found in a swampy area near Igbokoda in Ondo state.President Bola Tinubu ordered an investigation into the crash and directed the Nigerian Air Force to determine what caused the accident.The identities of those killed have not yet been released. The presidency said most of those on board were military personnel.
What was the ATR-42 used for?
Nigeria operated two ATR-42-500 aircraft, identified as NAF 930 and NAF 931, according to open-source checks by Premium Times.The aircraft were operated by the Nigerian Air Force’s 81 Air Maritime Group, based in Benin City. They were mainly used for maritime patrol and ISR missions, but could also conduct search-and-rescue operations and limited transport duties.The aircraft were equipped with surveillance systems including search radar and electro-optical sensors. These allowed them to gather intelligence and monitor activity over land and Nigeria’s maritime domain.The aircraft have also been deployed in military operations in northeastern Nigeria.The aircraft that crashed on Monday was identified by Nigeria’s aviation minister Festus Keyamo as NAF 931.
