The Air Force says five crew members and 20 passengers were aboard and no survivors have been found, a lower count than the 32 first given by the aviation minister
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has released the names of 25 people who died when its ATR-42 aircraft, NAF 931, crashed into a swamp in Igbokoda, Ondo State, on Monday.
In a statement on Tuesday, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the NAF’s director of public relations and information, said the aircraft had five crew members and 20 passengers on board. He said no survivors had been found.
Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke described the incident as a deeply painful moment for the Air Force and the nation, the statement said.
The figure is lower than the one the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, gave on Monday. He said preliminary information showed 25 passengers and seven crew members, 32 people in all, were aboard.
NAF names the five crew members
The NAF listed the crew as:
- Squadron Leader MI Aburime (Flight Captain)
- Squadron Leader AP Man-Ugwueje (Co-pilot)
- Flight Lieutenant IS Bako (Co-pilot)
- Warrant Officer Abubakar A (Aircraft Technician)
- Corporal Uguru HC (Aircraft Technician)
NAF lists the 20 passengers
The Air Force named the passengers as:
- Flight Lieutenant TL Lazarus
- Flight Lieutenant M Akinloye
- Flying Officer IM Adeshina
- Master Warrant Officer Onwuka F
- Master Warrant Officer Matini BA
- Warrant Officer Nuhu FS
- Flight Sergeant James RB
- Flight Sergeant Mohammed AI
- Sergeant Ani AE
- Sergeant Izibenikien SI
- Sergeant Alafuka C
- Sergeant Mbadugha AN
- Lance Corporal Ugwuba FC
- Lance Corporal Eledan GE
- Mrs Ezeh Nneka
- Godstmine Tarabina
- Joy Micheal
- Sunday Micheal
- Ukeme David
- Gideon Omotola
The statement did not say who the last six passengers are or how they were connected to the flight.
NAF opens condolence register as investigation begins
Ejodame said the aircraft was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when the accident occurred. Search-and-rescue procedures were activated immediately, in coordination with relevant authorities, to locate and account for everyone on board.
He said the Chief of the Air Staff has directed a comprehensive investigation to establish the circumstances of the accident. The cause has not been made public.
The NAF promised “timely and verified updates” as the investigation progresses. It urged the public to avoid speculation and unverified information, and to respect the privacy and dignity of the affected families.
“The Nigerian Air Force will continue to provide timely and verified updates as the investigation progresses and urges the public to refrain from speculation and the circulation of unverified information, while respecting the privacy and dignity of the affected families,” he said.
A condolence register has been opened at Air Force Headquarters in Abuja for senior government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, heads of security agencies and other well-wishers.
“A condolence register has also been opened at Headquarters Nigerian Air Force, Abuja, for senior government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, heads of security agencies, and other well-wishers who may wish to pay their respects and convey messages of sympathy to the families of the deceased and the Nigerian Air Force.”
President Bola Tinubu has declared three days of national mourning for the personnel who died, with flags to fly at half-mast nationwide, and ordered an immediate investigation.
