The Nigerian Army has mourned the 32 Nigerian Air Force personnel who died in the tragic aircraft crash in Ondo State.
The Army expressed its sympathy to the families of the fallen servicemen and the entire Nigerian Air Force community. In a condolence message posted on its official Instagram page, the Army said the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, was mourning with the Chief of the Air Staff, officers, airmen and airwomen over the painful loss. The Army said it stood firmly with the Air Force during the difficult period and prayed for God to comfort the bereaved families.
“May the souls of the departed gallant servicemen rest in eternal peace,” the statement said.
The ATR-42 aircraft, registered as NAF 931, crashed into a swamp near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, on Monday while travelling from Benin City to Lagos. Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, said 25 passengers and seven crew members were on board, while President Bola Tinubu later confirmed that there were no survivors.
Tinubu declared three days of national mourning, ordered flags to fly at half-mast nationwide and directed a thorough investigation into the crash.
Search and recovery operations were carried out by the Nigerian Air Force, the Nigerian Navy, the National Emergency Management Agency, the Ondo State Emergency Management Agency and other emergency responders despite the difficult riverine terrain.