Source : Perth Now news
A Nigerian military aircraft carrying 25 passengers and seven crew members has crashed near a naval base in southwestern Ondo state after losing contact with air traffic control while en route to Lagos, the aviation minister says.
The minister, Festus Keyamo, said in a statement that controllers lost contact with the aircraft at 9.13am and were unable to re-establish communication before its disappearance was reported.
The Nigerian air force identified the aircraft as an ATR-42.
The wreckage was later located near a naval base in the coastal town of Igbokoda and search and rescue operations were ongoing, he said.
There was no immediate confirmation of casualties from the crash.
The crash is one of Nigeria’s worst military aviation accidents in recent years and is likely to intensify scrutiny of flight safety and operational readiness as authorities investigate the cause.
with AP
