NAF Crash: Air Force Reveals 25 Aboard ATR Aircraft, Explains Confusion Over Casualty Figures

Toyyibat Qasim

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has clarified that 25 people were aboard its ATR 42 aircraft, designated NAF 931, which crashed at Igbokoda in Ondo State on Monday, dismissing reports suggesting that 32 people were on board.

The Air Force said the aircraft had 20 passengers and five active crew members, explaining that the 20 passengers included two non-active crew members.

The clarification came amid conflicting reports about the number of people aboard the aircraft, with the military attributing the discrepancy to a misunderstanding of standard aviation terminology.

The Director of Public Relations and Information of the NAF, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, provided the explanation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Saturday.

Ejodame explained that the expression “25 souls on board, inclusive of seven crew” referred to 25 people in total, including seven crew members, and not 25 passengers in addition to seven crew members.

He said the confusion might have arisen from a misinterpretation of the terminology used in reporting the aircraft’s occupancy.

The spokesman added that the civilians aboard the aircraft were family members of officers travelling to the same destination.

According to him, the NAF released the verified figures and the names of those on board after search and recovery operations and consultations with the affected families.

While expressing sorrow over the tragedy, the Air Force acknowledged the sympathy and solidarity extended to the service and the bereaved families by Nigerians and other well-wishers.

“These expressions of concern have been a source of comfort during this difficult period,” Ejodame said.

He stressed that those who died should not be reduced to mere statistics, describing them as valued members of the military community whose loss had deeply affected their colleagues, loved ones and the country.

“Those lost were not merely casualty figures, but valued lives, cherished loved ones and individuals whose loss is deeply felt across the service and the nation,” he said.

The spokesman said the NAF remained in contact with the bereaved families and was providing appropriate support as they coped with the loss.

He also disclosed that a comprehensive investigation into the crash was ongoing, noting that further information would be released when appropriate.

Ejodame said conclusions about the circumstances and causes of the accident would be guided by the findings of the investigation.

The Air Force urged journalists and members of the public to exercise restraint and sensitivity when reporting the incident, particularly by respecting the grief and privacy of the affected families.

Despite the loss, the spokesman said NAF personnel remained committed to ongoing military operations across various theatres of engagement, where they continued to confront significant risks in the discharge of their national security responsibilities.

He reaffirmed the service’s commitment to transparency, accountability and the welfare of its personnel and their families.

The circumstances surrounding the crash remain under investigation, with the Air Force expected to communicate further findings as the inquiry progresses.