{
  "id": 12392016,
  "title": "Nigeria mourns 25 killed as military plane crashes into swamp",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/nigeria-mourns-25-killed-as-military-plane-crashes-into-swamp",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-06T13:49:05.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "KBC",
    "slug": "kbc",
    "url": "https://www.kbc.co.ke/nigeria-mourns-25-killed-as-military-plane-crashes-into-swamp/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria has declared three days of national mourning following the crash of a military plane in southern Ondo State, which claimed the lives of 25 individuals. The Aviation Minister, Festus Keyamo, reported that 32 people had died initially, but the Air Force later clarified that the actual number was 25 - consisting of five crew members and 20 passengers. The aircraft was reportedly on a routine mission from Benin City to Lagos when it crashed into a swamp near a naval base in Ondo State on Monday morning.\n\nThe plane, an ATR-42 aircraft, is a medium-sized aircraft capable of carrying between 30 and 50 passengers. The crash is the deadliest involving a Nigerian military aircraft since 1992. The Nigerian Air Force has released the names of the deceased, noting that 19 of the victims were military personnel. President Tinubu expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the victims and has directed a comprehensive investigation into the incident. He also ordered that national flags be flown at half-mast throughout the country as a mark of respect for those who lost their lives.\n\nTinubu noted that the tragic event is a painful moment for both the Armed Forces and the entire nation, highlighting that Air Force personnel risk their lives daily to protect Nigeria. Keyamo indicated that search and rescue operations are ongoing at the time of the report. This crash has raised concerns about the safety and reliability of military aircraft in the country, prompting the Air Force to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.",
  "summary": "Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has declared three days of national mourning after a military aircraft crashed in southern Ondo State, killing 25 people. Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo on Monday said 32 people had died but on Tuesday the Air Force clarified that 25 people had been killed – five crew and 20 passengers. Authorities say […] The post Nigeria mourns 25 killed as military plane…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}