Nigeria mourns 32 dead after military plane crashes into swamp

Tue Oct 06 2026 12:17:07 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Nigerian President declares national mourning after 32 die when a military plane crashes near Ondo State.

A military ATR‑42 aircraft operating a routine route from Benin City to Lagos crashed into a swamp near Igbokoda, Ondo State, on Monday morning, killing 32 passengers and crew. President Bola Tinubu has ordered three days of national mourning, half‑masting the flag, and a full investigation to prevent future tragedies. Officials said the aircraft had been submerged, with smoke rising and wreckage floating in the water. The crash is one of Nigeria’s deadliest air disasters in recent years, following previous military aviation accidents in 2021.

Nigeria mourns 32 dead after a military aircraft crashed into a swamp in Ondo State on Monday morning, killing all on board.

The aircraft, an ATR‑42, had departed Benin City for Lagos on a routine mission when it went down near a navy base in Igbokoda. Officials said the wreckage was submerged, with smoke visible above the water and clothing items recovered on the surface.

President Bola Tinubu declared a period of national mourning for three days, ordered national flags to fly at half‑mast, and pledged a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the crash.

Our Air Force personnel put their lives on the line every day to secure Nigeria, Tinubu said, emphasizing that the loss of service members would never be forgotten.

The accident follows previous military aviation incidents, including the 2021 crash that killed Lt‑Gen Ibrahim Attahiru and ten other officers in Kaduna, and a February incident near Abuja.

For more on Nigeria’s aviation safety and military operations, visit our in‑depth coverage on BBC Africa.