…Minister speaks
CITIZENS COMPASS — Many people were feared dead on Monday, as an aircraft reportedly crash landed in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.
Igbokoda is a riverine area in the State.
Confirming the incident, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, said the aircraft, with tail number NGR 931, disappeared from radar after air traffic controllers lost communication with it at about 9:13 a.m.
He said efforts to re-establish contact with the aircraft through radio were unsuccessful before subsequent information indicated that it had crashed near the Naval Base in Igbokoda.
According to Keyamo: Preliminary information suggests that there were 25 passengers and 7 crew members on board.
Earlier, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) in a statement by its Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said the aircraft was an ATR-42 and was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when the accident occurred.
According to Ejodame: The aircraft was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when the accident occurred.
Search and rescue operations, in coordination with relevant authorities and emergency response agencies, are currently ongoing.
The NAF is committed to ensuring the success of the ongoing search and rescue efforts.
Further details will be communicated in due course.
Similarly, some Igbokoda residents have expressed fear over the incident.
