The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has opened a comprehensive investigation into the crash of its ATR-42 aircraft, NAF 931, in a swamp at Igbokoda, Ondo State, as recovery teams continue efforts to locate the submerged wreckage and retrieve the remains of the 25 people on board.
The aircraft crashed on Monday, October 5, 2026, minutes after departing Benin for Lagos, with air traffic controllers losing contact with the flight at about 9:13 a.m. The wreckage was later located near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, in the Ilaje Local Government Area, where difficult swamp and mangrove terrain has slowed recovery operations.
Key Highlights
- NAF has launched an investigation into the NAF 931 ATR-42 crash in Ondo State.
- The aircraft crashed minutes after leaving Benin for Lagos on October 5.
- The Air Force confirmed that all 25 people on board died.
- Recovery teams are battling difficult swamp and mangrove terrain at Igbokoda.
- The Navy has deployed side-scan sonar to locate the submerged wreckage.
- Reports of an earlier engine fault remain unconfirmed by the Nigerian Air Force.
- President Bola Tinubu has ordered a thorough investigation and declared three days of national mourning.
NAF Board of Inquiry Activated
A military source said the Air Force activated a board of inquiry shortly after the crash was confirmed.
Under established military procedures, the Superintendent of Standards and Evaluation automatically chairs the board responsible for investigating such an accident.
A military official told Punch that investigators were already working alongside recovery teams because information obtained during the recovery operation could form part of the investigation.
NAF spokesman Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame also confirmed that Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, had ordered a comprehensive investigation into the crash.
According to the spokesman, the findings will be released after a preliminary report is completed.
Air Force Investigates Military Aircraft Crash
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has said it will not lead the investigation because the aircraft involved was military.
However, the bureau has offered technical assistance, including investigators and access to its Flight Safety Laboratory, should the Nigerian Air Force request support for the examination of flight data and cockpit voice recordings.
The military is therefore expected to retain primary responsibility for determining what caused the crash.
President Bola Tinubu has separately directed a thorough investigation into the incident and declared three days of national mourning, with national flags ordered to fly at half-mast.
Recovery Operation Faces Difficult Conditions
Recovery teams are facing major challenges at the crash site because the aircraft went down in swamp and mangrove terrain with extremely poor visibility.
More than 48 hours after the crash, sources at the site said no bodies had been recovered from the swamp as teams struggled to reach the submerged wreckage.
The Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, deployed personnel from the Navy Hydrographic Department to support the operation.
The team is using side-scan sonar because the water is too turbid for divers to rely on visual searches.
Navy divers and Air Force drone crews are also searching the surrounding mangrove and forest areas.
A swamp buggy is being prepared to create an access route and assist with efforts to reach and lift parts of the aircraft.
Military Officials Inspect Crash Site
On Wednesday, senior military officers inspected the recovery operation and the area where the swamp buggy was expected to be deployed.
They included the Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Abubakar Abdullahi Mustapha, and the Air Officer Commanding Logistics Command, Air Vice Marshal Abubakar Abdul Suleh.
Their visit came as military and emergency teams continued efforts to locate and recover the victims and aircraft components.
Read also:
- NAF Plane Crash in Ondo: Swampy Terrain Stalls Recovery as 25 Victims Remain Unrecovered
- Navy Deploys Sonar To Locate Submerged NAF Aircraft In Ondo
- Governor Aiyedatiwa Visits NAF Aircraft Crash Scene, Orders Search To Continue
NAF Confirms 25 People Were On Board
The Nigerian Air Force has confirmed that everyone on board the aircraft died in the crash.
The published manifest lists 25 people, comprising five crew members and 20 passengers.
The crew were identified as:
- Squadron Leader M. I. Aburime, flight captain
- Squadron Leader A. P. Man-Ugwueje, co-pilot
- Flight Lieutenant I. S. Bako, co-pilot
- Warrant Officer Abubakar A.
- Corporal Uguru H. C.
The 20 passengers included military personnel and civilians.
Earlier reports had put the number of people on board at 32, including a figure cited by Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo on the day of the crash.
The Air Force has indicated that the published manifest represents the current official figure while efforts continue to reconcile earlier reports.
Reported Engine Fault Yet to Be Confirmed
Questions have also emerged over whether the aircraft experienced a mechanical problem before the crash.
Sahara Reporters, citing unnamed sources, reported that the aircraft allegedly developed an engine fault after transporting passengers to Benin on Sunday and was grounded overnight for repairs.
The report claimed the aircraft subsequently departed Benin for Lagos on Monday morning before crashing minutes later.
However, the Nigerian Air Force has not confirmed the reported engine fault as the cause of the crash.
A military source cited by Punch described the ATR-42 as a relatively modern aircraft that had been properly maintained.
The aircraft involved was identified as an ATR 42-500MP maritime-patrol variant, reportedly built in 2008 and delivered around 2010.
Until investigators recover the aircraft’s flight recorders and complete technical examinations, the cause of the crash remains unknown.
Keyamo Visits Air Chief After Crash
Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo on Wednesday visited Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke and signed the condolence register following the tragedy.
Keyamo and the Air Chief also agreed to establish a joint NCAA–Air Force committee focusing on airworthiness, certification and training.
However, the military accident investigation will remain under the Nigerian Air Force.
Cause of NAF 931 Crash Remains Unknown
The focus is now on the recovery operation and the investigation into what brought down NAF 931.
Investigators are expected to examine the aircraft’s maintenance history, flight data, cockpit recordings, weather conditions, crew actions and any possible mechanical issues.
The recovery of the wreckage and flight recorders will be particularly important in determining the sequence of events before the aircraft went down.
For now, the cause of the NAF ATR-42 crash in Ondo State has not been established, while recovery teams continue working in difficult swamp conditions to retrieve the victims and aircraft remains.
For more updates on the NAF crash, follow us on X.
