The Nigerian Air Force has released the names of the crew members and the passengers in the aircraft that crashed on Monday, killing everyone on board.
The NAF, in a statement on Tuesday, said there were 25 people on board, “comprising five crew members and 20 passengers.” Government officials had said on Monday that 32 people were on board the aircraft, which crashed in the Igbokoda area of Ondo State. The latest figure indicates that the manifest has now been correctly reviewed.
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“No survivors have been found,” the air force said.
The air force said the Chief of Air Staff, Sunday Aneke, “has directed a comprehensive investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the accident.”
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PREMIUM TIMES reports that President Bola Tinubu also ordered on Monday a thorough investigation, while condoling with the families of the victims.
The NAF said the five crew members were M.I. Aburime, a squadron leand and flight captain; A.P. Man-Ugwueje, a squadron leader and co-pilot; I.S. Bako, a flight lieutenant and co-pilot; A. Abubakar, a warrant officer and aircraft technician; and H.C. Uguru, a corporal and aircraft technician.
The 20 passengers include T.L. Lazarus, a flight lieutenant; M Akinloye, a flight lieutenant; I.M. Adeshina, a flying officer; F. Onwuka, a master warrant officer; B.A Matini, a master warrant officer; F.S. Nuhu, a warrant officer; R.B. James, a flight sergeant; A.I. Mohammed, a flight sergeant; A.E. Ani, a sergeant, and S.I. Izibenikien, a segeant.
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The rest are C. Alafuka, a sergeant; A.N. Mbadugha, a sergeant; F.C. Ugwuba, a lance corporal; G.E. Eledan, a lance corporal; Mrs Ezeh Nneka, Godstmine Tarabina, Joy Micheal, Sunday Micheal, Ukeme David and Gideon Omotola.
The air force said the crashed aircraft, identified as NAF 931, was on a routine mission from Benin, Edo State, to Lagos when the accident occurred.
It said search-and-rescue procedures were immediately activated following the crash, with response efforts coordinated with relevant authorities to locate and account for everyone on board.
The Air Force also urged members of the public to refrain from speculation and the circulation of unverified information while respecting the privacy and dignity of the victims’ families.
It said a condolence register had been opened at its headquarters in Abuja for government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, security chiefs and other well-wishers wishing to pay their respects.
The NAF’s latest account differs from the initial information released by the Ministry of Aviation on Monday.
Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo had said preliminary information indicated that 25 passengers and seven crew members making 32 people in total were aboard the aircraft.
The crash
PREMIUM TIMES reported that the aircraft crashed in a swampy area around Igbokoda on Monday while travelling from Benin to Lagos on what the NAF described as a routine mission.
Mr Kayemo said air traffic controllers lost contact with the aircraft at about 9:13 a.m. after it departed Benin for Lagos. The wreckage was later located near the Naval Base in Igbokoda.
The crash initially generated uncertainty over the type of aircraft, the number of people aboard and their fate. The NAF later identified the aircraft as an ATR-42 and said it had activated search-and-rescue operations.
Mr Keyamo subsequently said 32 people were aboard, comprising 25 passengers and seven crew members. PREMIUM TIMES also reported that the presidency also cited the 32-person figure while announcing that President Tinubu was mourning the victims.
The new NAF statement, however, puts the number of people aboard NAF 931 at 25 — five crew members and 20 passengers.
Although the NAF has not explained the difference between its figures and the earlier figures announced by Mr Kayemo on Monday.
READ ALSO: 32 people on board crashed Nigerian military aircraft Aviation Minister
What PREMIUM TIMES knows about the crashed aircraft
The ATR-42 is a twin-engine turboprop aircraft configured for maritime patrol and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations. PREMIUM TIMES checks found that NAF operated two ATR-42-500MP aircraft: NAF 930 and NAF 931 before Monday’s crash.
The two aircraft were acquired from Italian aerospace company Alenia Aeronautica under a $73 million contract signed in March 2007. NAF 930 was delivered in December 2009, while NAF 931 was delivered in March 2010.
The aircraft are operated by the NAF’s 81 Air Maritime Group based in Benin City and are configured for maritime surveillance, intelligence gathering and search-and-rescue operations. They are fitted with surveillance equipment including search radar and electro-optical sensors.
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