Military Aircraft Crashes in Ondo After Disappearing From Radar Shortly After Take-Off
A military aircraft travelling from Benin City, Edo State, to Lagos reportedly disappeared from radar shortly after take-off on Monday before crashing into a swamp in Igbokoda, the headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The aircraft, identified by its tail number NGR 931, reportedly lost radar contact with air traffic controllers at about 9:13 a.m., according to a senior Air Traffic Controller familiar with the aircraft’s final moments.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment publicly on the incident, said communication with the aircraft was initially established shortly after take-off before contact was unexpectedly lost.
According to the source, repeated efforts to re-establish communication with the aircraft were unsuccessful.
“When the aircraft took off, we were in touch with it shortly afterward, but it disappeared from the radar. Efforts to reach it were unsuccessful,” the official said.
The source further disclosed that personnel at nearby reporting points in Okitipupa later reported hearing a loud bang, which was believed to have been the sound of the aircraft crashing.
Following the loss of radar contact, the military reportedly activated search-and-rescue operations in an effort to locate the aircraft and determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The Air Traffic Controller cautioned against drawing conclusions about the cause of the crash, stressing that the ongoing search-and-rescue operation would provide critical information needed to establish what happened.
Authorities are expected to provide further details as rescue teams continue their operations and investigations into the incident.
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