Tinubu Declares Three Days Mourning After Military Plane Crash Kills 32 in Ondo

Nigeria has declared three days of national mourning following a military aircraft crash in Ondo State that killed all 32 people on board.

President Bola Tinubu announced the mourning period after the aircraft, which was carrying 25 passengers and seven crew members, crashed in a swamp near a naval base in southern Ondo State on Monday morning.

Authorities said the aircraft was on a routine mission from Benin City to Lagos when it came down near the naval facility. When officials reached the crash site, the aircraft was found submerged under water.

A resident who spoke to the BBC said clothes and shoes were found around the crash site, while smoke could be seen rising from the area. The circumstances surrounding the crash remain under investigation.
The incident is reportedly the deadliest crash involving a Nigerian military aircraft since 1992, underscoring the scale of the tragedy for the country’s armed forces.

Tinubu expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the 32 people who died and ordered a full investigation into the crash. He also directed that national flags be flown at half-mast across the country as a mark of respect for the victims.

“This is a painful moment for our Armed Forces and for the entire nation,” Tinubu said, adding that Nigerian Air Force personnel “put their lives on the line every day to secure Nigeria.”
The President said the sacrifice of the personnel would not be forgotten as the country mourns the victims and awaits the findings of the investigation into what caused the aircraft to crash.