Nigeria has begun three days of national mourning for the 25 people killed when a Nigerian Air Force military transport aircraft came down in a swamp in Ondo State on Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in what has been described as the country’s deadliest Nigerian military aircraft crash in more than three decades.

Five crew members and 20 passengers were aboard the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) ATR-42, and none survived. Of the 25, 19 were military personnel and six were civilians.

The aircraft was flying a routine mission from Benin City, Edo State, to Lagos. Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo said the plane lost contact with air traffic controllers at 0813 GMT on Oct. 5. Another account puts the loss of contact at about 9:13 a.m. local time; it has not been confirmed whether the two refer to the same moment stated in different time zones. The aircraft crashed about halfway through its journey from Edo state to Lagos.

What Residents Saw

Searchers located the wreckage near a naval base at Igbokoda, in the Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, southern Nigeria. Igbokoda, a riverine community close to the Atlantic coast, sits in swampy terrain that has made reaching the site difficult. Recovery crews worked at the scene after the aircraft was located, and a portion of the plane has been recovered from the swamp, a section pulled from the water.

Local residents near the crash site described what they saw to the AP news agency. “The plane cleared some trees. We found some body parts, some clothes and shoes,” one local said.

A video circulating on social media showed a small crowd gathered near a river as rescuers searched the area by boat.

Keyamo initially put the toll at 32. The Air Force clarified on Tuesday, Oct. 6, that 25 people had been aboard. The air force has since released the names of all 25 victims.

Tinubu Orders Flags at Half-Mast

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced the mourning period and directed national flags be flown at half-mast across the country in honor of the dead.

“This is a painful moment for our Armed Forces and for the entire nation,” Tinubu said. His special adviser on information and strategy, Bayo Onanuga, issued the condolence message on Oct. 5. Air force personnel risk their lives daily to keep the country safe, the president said, and that sacrifice would be remembered.

The bereaved families of the dead personnel received the president’s condolences, as did the air force and the wider Armed Forces of Nigeria. He commended the service for moving quickly to activate search and rescue operations after the aircraft went down. The chief of air staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, briefed the president on the disaster.

The cause of the crash has not been established. A thorough investigation into what brought the aircraft down must begin immediately, Tinubu told the air force, describing the inquiry as necessary to help stop similar tragedies from happening again. The air force has said additional details will be made public as the investigation progresses.

Senate Seeks Full Briefing

The Nigerian Senate expressed condolences to the air force and to the bereaved families. Chairman of the Senate Committee on Air Force, Sen. Osita Ngwu, called the crash a deeply painful episode for the country. Lawmakers, he said, were grieving both the service members who died on duty and the other people aboard the aircraft.

“This is a huge loss to our nation,” Ngwu said. His committee would sit down with air force leadership for a full briefing on the circumstances of the crash, he added, and Nigerians should rely on official information rather than unverified accounts.

State emergency and security agencies were directed by Ondo State Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa to provide logistical and manpower support at the crash site. He also ordered the area secured so rescue and response teams could work.

A twin-engine turboprop, the ATR-42 serves transport duties for the Nigerian Air Force. Missions against armed groups, along with a role in countering terrorism and regional instability, make up the service’s work — work Tinubu pointed to as he mourned the loss of the crew.